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After what he views as a disappointing Tour de France in 2023, Tom Pidcock is setting clear and impressive objectives for himself in 2024.
Even earlier than follow began in Herentals, which was Pidock’s first cyclocross look this season, the Ineos rider was already waiting for the 2024 street season. In dialog with Sporza, Pidcock revealed his Tour ambitions, hinted at Olympic goals and restricted followers expectations of his winter cyclocross season.
Tour high 10 “isn’t actually a motivation”
Pidcock arrived on the 2023 Tour de France with an open thoughts and no particular objectives. However, after his spectacular win on Alpe d’Huez in 2022, he most likely had some kind of success in thoughts. On Saturday, he repeated his beforehand acknowledged disappointment with the results of that technique.
“Final yr I didn’t actually know what I wished and what the crew wished. I didn’t have a transparent purpose and I paid the value for that. I got here residence with nothing.”
The Ineos racer clearly discovered from that tough lesson. With the calendar nonetheless counting down the final days of 2023, he’s clear on his purpose for Paris in July, largely.
“This yr, I wish to full concentrate on the final classification.” Pidcock says.
“I received’t be capable to say particularly what my purpose is till later,” the Briton added, however clarified {that a} high 10 “That’s probably not my motivation.”
With high 10 not sufficient and his concentrate on GC, the Britton is aiming excessive. Whether or not meaning a win or a podium will stay to be seen, however Pidcock isn’t holding again, saying “I imagine in myself greater than final yr.”
Olympics, however not a defence?
When Pidock does imagine in himself, he has a robust monitor file of attaining his objectives. Alongside along with his street successes, cyclocross world championships and cross nation mountain bike rainbows, he already has an Olympic gold medal to his title. In Tokyo, he rose above pre-race favourites Nino Schurter and Mathieu van der Poel to win the lads’s XCO in his first Olympic look.
With the Video games touchdown in Paris this summer season, Pidcock has his eye on one other Olympic achievement.
“”Hopefully I come away from the Tour very effectively for the Olympics,” he stated on Saturday. The Briton didn’t particular if his Olympic ambition is a defence of his XCO gold in Toko or he has eyes on the street race. However his rival, Mathieu van der Poel, has recently stated that finishing the Tour de France and being ready for the start line of the Olympic XCO just a few days later would be an impossible task.
Wout’s warning: no cross worlds
One casualty of Pidcock defining his summer season ambitions so early seems to be cyclocross world championships. Pidcock says he won’t be aiming to reclaim his rainbow jersey this winter.
“It is going to be an extended summer season with the Tour de France and the Olympics. It is going to be tough to race so late within the yr with the cyclocross World Championships,” Pidcock defined. “If I’m going to the World Championships, I’ve to organize 100% – for the respect for the occasion. I don’t wish to undergo that.”
It’s a lesson he says he discovered from Wout van Aert’s failed cross world championships bid final yr.
“Additionally it is tough mentally,” Pidcock stated, “Wout van Aert misplaced final yr and stated that it was tough for him through the street season.”
After a resounding loss to van der Poel on Saturday in Herentals, Pidcock’s resolution to ditch worlds doesn’t sound just like the worst concept.
With van Aert already conceding he will sit out cross worlds to prepare for the Classics and now Pidcock skipping world champs with eyes on a busy July, Mathieu van der Poel’s street to a different rainbow jersey is getting simpler each week.
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