Latest news with #Pidcock
New Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Rejuvenated Pidcock relishing Giro d'Italia debut
DURRES (ALBANIA): Britain's double Olympic mountain bike champion Tom Pidcock, enjoying a new lease of life after his split with Ineos Grenadiers, has said he cannot wait to start his hunt for stage wins on his debut at the Giro d'Italia. Pidcock admitted he had become disenchanted on the road before his fall-out with the British team last year but a move to the fledgling Q36.5 Pro Team has worked wonders. Let off the leash by the Swiss team, 25-year-old all-rounder Pidcock won the AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia at the start of the year, was third at the Vuelta a Andalucia and came second to Tadej Pogacar at Strade Bianche in Italy. Known for his pure racer's mentality and willingness to take risks, Pidcock said he will be going full gas from day one in the Giro which starts in Albania today. The opening stage, a hilly 160km trek from Durres with a technical and punchy circuit around Tirana to finish, could be a prime opportunity for Pidcock to grab the leaders' maglia rosa. "The main reason I've come here is to get stuck in every day, to enjoy racing the Giro and opportunities will come if I do that," Pidcock said on the eve of the race. "I've got shape coming out of the Ardennes Classics and I'm looking forward to taking that into the race. "I think Strade definitely was a big performance as it showed I've got closer. Tadej is on another level – the only guy beating him is Mathieu (van der Poel) on his terrain – so I think Strade was definitely a confidence boost." Q36.5 are a second-tier team but have been given a wildcard into the Giro and will be contesting their first Grand Tour with Pidcock as their main man. He said the move had given him the opportunity to take more responsibility. "I like being responsible for everything, for my own destiny, if you like," he said. "It's a big responsibility which helps me to get the most out of myself. "I have a good relationship with Italy, I won the Baby Giro (in 2020), and it (the Giro) is a race I've wanted to do for a while. I wanted to do it last year and I'm excited I've got the opportunity now." - REUTERS
The Star
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Cycling-Rejuvenated Pidcock relishing Giro d'Italia debut
FILE PHOTO: 2022 European Championships - Cycling Mountain Bike - Olympiapark Mountain Bike Course, Munich, Germany - August 19, 2022 Britain's Tom Pidcock celebrates on the podium after winning gold in the men's cross-country final REUTERS/Lukas Barth/File Photo (Reuters) -Britain's double Olympic mountain bike champion Tom Pidcock, enjoying a new lease of life after his split with Ineos Grenadiers, has said he cannot wait to start his hunt for stage wins on his debut at the Giro d'Italia. Pidcock admitted he had become disenchanted on the road before his fall-out with the British team last year but a move to the fledgling Q36.5 Pro Team has worked wonders. Let off the leash by the Swiss team, 25-year-old all-rounder Pidcock won the AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia at the start of the year, was third at the Vuelta a Andalucia and came second to Tadej Pogacar at Strade Bianche in Italy. Known for his pure racer's mentality and willingness to take risks, Pidcock said he will be going full gas from day one in the Giro which starts in Albania on Saturday. The opening stage, a hilly 160km trek from Durres with a technical and punchy circuit around Tirana to finish, could be a prime opportunity for Pidcock to grab the leaders' maglia rosa. "The main reason I've come here is to get stuck in every day, to enjoy racing the Giro and opportunities will come if I do that," Pidcock said on the eve of the race. "I've got shape coming out of the Ardennes Classics and I'm looking forward to taking that into the race. "I think Strade definitely was a big performance as it showed I've got closer. Tadej is on another level -- the only guy beating him is Mathieu (van der Poel) on his terrain -- so I think Strade was definitely a confidence boost." Q36.5 are a second-tier team but have been given a wildcard into the Giro and will be contesting their first Grand Tour with Pidcock as their main man. He said the move had given him the opportunity to take more responsibility. "I like being responsible for everything, for my own destiny, if you like," he said. "It's a big responsibility which helps me to get the most out of myself. "I have a good relationship with Italy, I won the Baby Giro (in 2020), and it (the Giro) is a race I've wanted to do for a while. I wanted to do it last year and I'm excited I've got the opportunity now." (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
GB's Pidcock to lead new team at Giro d'Italia
Great Britain's Tom Pidcock will lead new team Q36.5 in their first Grand Tour at the Giro d'Italia, which begins on Friday. Pidcock left Ineos Grenadiers to sign a three-year deal with the second-tier Q36.5 team in December. The 25-year-old is a double Olympic champion and retained his mountain bike title at Paris 2024. Fellow Briton Mark Donovan has also been named on the eight-man team which begins the Giro d'Italia in Albania. "This is my first Giro d'Italia and I am excited," Pidcock said. "Racing in Italy is always special, and I've got a lot of great memories from racing there. It's a fantastic opportunity for us as a team and we have a responsibility to show we are worthy of that opportunity. "I come with high ambitions, and with the form I've carried from the Ardennes I know the legs will be there. Of course, there are many opportunities, but we are going to plan well and pick our moments." Pidcock has already enjoyed a strong start to 2025, recording four victories and finishing in the top 10 in each of the three Ardennes classics last month. Xabier Mikel Azparren, Nick Zukowsky, Matteo Moschetti, Damien Howson, Milan Vader and Emils Liepiņs make up the rest of the Q36.5 team. The 2025 Giro d'Italia takes in 21 stages between 9 May and 1 June, travelling through Albania, Slovenia and Italy.
BBC News
05-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
GB's Pidcock to lead new team at Giro d'Italia
Great Britain's Tom Pidcock will lead new team Q36.5 in their first Grand Tour at the Giro d'Italia, which begins on left Ineos Grenadiers to sign a three-year deal with the second-tier Q36.5 team in 25-year-old is a double Olympic champion and retained his mountain bike title at Paris Briton Mark Donovan has also been named on the eight-man team which begins the Giro d'Italia in Albania."This is my first Giro d'Italia and I am excited," Pidcock said. "Racing in Italy is always special, and I've got a lot of great memories from racing there. It's a fantastic opportunity for us as a team and we have a responsibility to show we are worthy of that opportunity."I come with high ambitions, and with the form I've carried from the Ardennes I know the legs will be there. Of course, there are many opportunities, but we are going to plan well and pick our moments."Pidcock has already enjoyed a strong start to 2025, recording four victories and finishing in the top 10 in each of the three Ardennes classics last Mikel Azparren, Nick Zukowsky, Matteo Moschetti, Damien Howson, Milan Vader and Emils Liepiņs make up the rest of the Q36.5 2025 Giro d'Italia takes in 21 stages between 9 May and 1 June, travelling through Albania, Slovenia and Italy.
The Independent
31-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Tom Pidcock to ride Giro d'Italia for first time as Q36.5 squad receive wildcard
Tom Pidcock will ride the Giro d'Italia for the first time as a senior after his Q36.5 team were among those granted wildcards to the year's first Grand Tour. The Brit won the under-23 edition, known as the 'Baby Giro', in 2020, but never entered the senior edition when he was with his previous team, Ineos Grenadiers. Pro team Q36.5 were among the four squads operating at the level below the elite World Tour to receive wildcards, along with Tudor Pro Cycling - helmed by another former World Tour rider, Julian Alaphilippe - and two Italian squads, Team Polti Visit Malta and VF Group Bardiani CSF - Faizane. Earlier on Monday the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), cycling's governing body, expanded the pool of teams for the three Grand Tours from 22 to 23, allowing one extra team to receive a wildcard invite. All 18 World Tour teams will contest the Giro. Q36.5 were not expecting a wildcard to the Tour de France, which has announced that its invitational spots will go to Tudor, French team TotalEnergies, and Uno-X Mobility. Pidcock has been in fine form since making a high-profile switch over the winter to Q36.5, winning his first race of the season, the AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia, and most recently finishing sixth overall at Tirreno-Adriatico and second at Strade Bianche. His previous Grand Tour experience has been at the Tour de France and one appearance at the Vuelta a Espana in 2021, with he and his squad likely to target stages in Italy and potentially push for a strong finish in the general classification depending on how the race pans out. His best finish at a Grand Tour so far has been 13th at the Tour de France in 2023. The Giro begins on Friday 9 May with three stages in Albania before crossing the border into Italy. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe Primoz Roglic, who won the Volta a Catalunya tune-up race on Sunday, and Juan Ayuso of UAE Team Emirates are the major favourites in the absence of defending champion and Ayuso's teammate Tadej Pogacar. His main rival Jonas Vingegaard will not race either, with both targeting the Tour de France in July and Pogacar racing a packed Spring Classics campaign earlier in the season. Before that Pidcock, who has taken a break from racing in recent weeks to prepare for his goals later in the spring, will ride the Ardennes Classics and aim to defend his title at Amstel Gold on 20 April.
