Pidcock already draws conclusions before and facing Van der Poel: "Everyone will agree on that"

Tom Pidcock has only raced two cyclo-cross events this season, but he's already achieved one of his two winter goals: winning a cyclo-cross race. The British rider triumphed over his competitors in Namur on Sunday and is now setting his sights on his next ambition, which is competing with Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. IDLProCycling.com was there both Saturday in Herentals and Sunday in Namur.

The X2O Trophy race in Herentals was largely focused on Van der Poel's return, but in his shadow, Pidcock also made his comeback to cyclo-cross. Most fans were crowded around Van der Poel's bus and Lamborghini, while Pidcock was able to prepare quietly a little further away. Not that the British rider was bothered by this, far from it. "Mathieu will be up to speed right away, I'm pretty sure of that. I'm trying to get into the right rhythm, but the first race is always tough."

Pidcock flew in from a training camp in Mallorca, where he had been primarily working on his base for the road season. "I did one cyclo-cross training session, three weeks ago. Besides that, I just had fun with the team before coming here. I even forgot to shave my legs," laughed the always cheerful rider.

Starting from the third row? No problem for him. "Even from that position, it'll work out fine. I might move up a bit over the next period, but there will also be some more guys joining in during the Christmas period," he said, not overly concerned with the minor details.

"In the first two or three laps, I was trying to find my rhythm. But bit by bit, I worked my way to the front," he shared about his experience at the cyclo-cross race in Herentals. In that race, he impressively secured second place, trailing behind an unstoppable Van der Poel. "I surprised myself, honestly. It went well, so I'm really pleased with that. Sunday brings a new challenge on a course that suits me better."

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Lars van der Haar, who came in third at Herentals, looked up to the Brit's performance. "Tom got a bit of an assist from the group behind before bridging the gap to us. He timed his move perfectly and had just enough power to secure second place, which was quite impressive. Pidcock was racing at the level we expected. He's going to keep improving, and he definitely had a strong shot at winning in Namur."

A joyful Pidcock reflects on his 'unusual' victory in Namur

True to form, the next day he lined up at the start around the Citadel of Namur with equal eagerness. Gradually advancing in the race, the other competitors quickly realized his potential to take the lead. Both Pim Ronhaar and Joris Nieuwenhuis, finishing second and third, noted, "We quickly found ourselves in the lead, pushing hard, but it was soon evident that Tom was gaining on us."

Nieuwenhuis attempted to match the pace. "But I soon realized that I needed to stick to my own rhythm. I was aware of his strength here. On such courses, it's really tough to beat someone with his level of power," the Dutch cyclist reflected.

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Tom Pidcock described his season's start as "great" and his recent win as "unusual". "I was so focused on avoiding errors, I wasn't really thinking about winning. I just wanted to put in a solid race, but it turned out to be quite an exciting one, especially with the crowd's energy," he praised the enthusiastic supporters in Namur. "I've always loved this course; it's one of my favorites, and the turnout is fantastic. I'd be thrilled to see a World Championship here (possibly in 2026, ed.), although I hope they reduce the chances of punctures."

Pidcock looks forward to duel with Van der Poel and Van Aert, but definitely also to the Tour de France

But first, the big showdown with Van der Poel and Van Aert next Saturday in Antwerp. Pidcock doesn't have too many expectations but is motivated to start. "Next week we'll have our first real battle between me, Van der Poel, and Van Aert, but it's not on my best course. If I can do some sand training this week, I should hopefully be ready. It's not with a different mindset than now, but I do know that I really like the courses in Gavere and Hulst," he looks forward to December 26 and 30.

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Pidcock has already won his cyclo-cross race, but he's not getting ahead of himself. "I hope to be able to compete with them a few times, and of course, it would be even better to beat them. That's my ambition, that should be clear. Like last year in Diegem, it was fun to measure myself against them." He expected to be outdone by Van der Poel on Saturday. "Mathieu is the best cyclo-cross racer there is, everyone will agree with that. His approach wasn't a shock to me; that's his style," laughed the British rider.

The INEOS Grenadiers rider also emphasized that the World Championships in Tábor are off his radar, focusing instead on the Tour de France and the Olympics next year. "Last year's Tour was a learning curve without a specific goal. This year, I'm aiming to be well-prepared and focused on the general classification. We've got a strong team where the best rider takes the lead." He isn't intimidated by the competition, internal or external. "Sure, there are many strong contenders, but that's always the case in such races."