Tom Pidcock reached the midpoint of the 2025 Giro d’Italia feeling a mix of emotions. While finishing fourth in Castelnovo di Monti brought a sense of achievement and relief, he was left hungry for more, recognizing just how tough stage wins are in a Grand Tour. As the leader of Q36.5, Pidcock has already secured three top-five finishes in the first 11 stages. He was competitive in the sprint opener in Tirana, came third in Matera behind Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), and now fourth only 10 seconds behind a dominant Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) on the first major mountain test.
His main disappointment so far came during Sunday’s stage on the gravel roads of the Strade Bianche, where he had hoped to replicate his 2023 victory. However, a crash and two punctures derailed that ambition. “I felt amazing that day,” Pidcock said, calling it the highlight of his Giro despite the bad luck. “It was the day I was really looking forward to. But except for that, I’ve had good fortune when it mattered.”
He managed to limit his time losses in a rainy time trial in Pisa and currently sits 15th overall, 3 minutes and 47 seconds behind leader Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). Pidcock isn’t targeting the overall classification it’s simply a byproduct of his solid performances across various stages.
During the grueling stage 11 over Alpe San Pellegrino, Pidcock struggled but battled back to contest the stage win. “We gave it everything but Carapaz was just too strong,” he said. “It was full gas from the start. The break went early, and the climbs were relentless. It turned into a GC day.”
Despite fading in the final kilometers, teammates Damien Howson and Mark Donovan helped him rejoin the front. “It was brutal, but the effort paid off,” he added.
With a flat stage from Modena to Viadana on Thursday, Pidcock and the other climbers will have a chance to recover after the intense opening half. He sees opportunities ahead, particularly with stage 13’s uphill finish in Vicenza, and potentially more in the mountainous final week. “I’d really love to win a stage that’s the aim now,” he said. “We’re only halfway through. There’s still a lot of racing left.”
Be the first to comment