MTB: Win for Tom Pidcock

First World Cup victory in MTB for Tom Pidcock at round two of the UCI World Cup gets him an Olympic ticket, Evie Richards 5th in the Women’s event

MTB: Win for Tom Pidcock

First World Cup in MTB for Tom Pidcock — Tom Pidcock continued his explosive mountain bike season with a dominant solo victory in round two of the UCI World Cup.

The win represented both Pidcock and the team’s first success at the elite World Cup level, and was achieved in emphatic fashion. It also marked the first World Cup victory for a British male rider since 1994.

With a front-row start courtesy of second place in Friday’s XCC Short Track event, Pidcock quickly settled into a rhythm on the drying Czech course.
Fourth after the first lap, the Brit wasted no time in joining the fast starting Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) at the front of the race. The pair pulled clear, but a monster attack on the main climb during the third lap saw Pidcock push his advantage out.

With an eventual winning margin of a minute, Pidcock had plenty of time to savour the victory. With results elsewhere providing a huge boost to Great Britain’s Olympic MTB places, it was a great day all-round for Pidcock.

Tom Pidcock: “I think I was born to do mountain bike to be honest. It sounds stupid but it’s what I’ve done since I was little and what I’ve enjoyed the most. Coming here and winning an elite World Cup – at my second attempt but a first attempt with a level playing field – is pretty insane really. I’m certainly in great shape. I’m going to take a break now and build hopefully towards the Olympics. I think I’ve shown what I can do on a mountain bike I guess.”

Ineos press release

1. Tom Pidcock
2. Mathieu van der Poel
3. Mathias Flückiger

90. Frazer Clacherty

Women
1 Loana Lecomte

5. Evie Richards
15. Annie Last
56. Isla Short