Tom Pidcock approached the Giro d’Italia with the goal of giving his utmost effort for the full 21 days, hoping to find chances for a stage win without falling too far behind in the general classification (GC). It was a solid plan, but the British rider from Q36.5 wasn’t able to execute it. A stage victory slipped away, in part due to a series of setbacks most notably during the gravel-heavy stage to Siena, which was expected to suit him. Then, on stage 19, he saw his hopes of a top-ten finish unravel.
“Of course, I would’ve liked to achieve more, but Grand Tours are brutal, whether you’re aiming for stage wins or targeting the GC,” Pidcock admitted honestly to IDLProCycling.com on the final day in Rome. He ended his first Giro in 16th place overall, having previously finished 17th and 13th in the Tour de France. “But I think this was the strongest Grand Tour I’ve ridden. I’m pretty satisfied.”
After 18 stages, Pidcock was in 13th place, just two minutes behind Michael Storer, who held tenth. So it came as a surprise when he was dropped on the first climb of stage 19. Though he managed to rejoin the peloton, he cracked on the next ascent. “I wasn’t completely out of energy,” he explained. “I tried to join the breakaway early in stage 19, but pushing that hard in the heat drained me.”
Looking back, Pidcock admitted that his gamble didn’t pay off mainly due to the sudden rise in temperature, with the mercury topping 30°C for the first time in the race. “I know I don’t adapt to heat quickly, so trying something big on such a hot day wasn’t the smartest call. It cost me my top-ten spot.”
Stage 19 saw him lose more than 18 minutes, effectively ending his GC ambitions. By the time stage 20 came around featuring the legendary Colle delle Finestre Pidcock still had decent legs but wasn’t motivated to go for the stage win, especially since it featured his first-ever hour-long climb. Chris Harper ultimately took the win from the breakaway for Jayco-AlUla.
So, while Pidcock’s Giro ended quietly, it wasn’t without promise. He had placed in the top five on three occasions during the opening two weeks and held his own among riders hovering near the top ten. “Honestly, I had bigger ambitions before the race. But given how I came in with limited altitude training after the Ardennes classics I couldn’t have expected too much more.”
He noted that the riders ahead of him on GC were better prepared and had fewer racing days in their legs. Still, Pidcock is optimistic about the rest of the season. The Vuelta a España is next on his Grand Tour schedule, and this time he plans to be better equipped for the heat. “Hopefully I can prepare properly, with mountain biking in Andorra and the European Championships in Melgaço (Portugal) this summer.”
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