30 Jan 2022
Pidcock wins cyclo-cross world title
Related riders
Tom Pidcock
Tom Pidcock claimed a superb victory at the World Cyclo-cross Championships to secure the rainbow jersey in Fayetteville.
The Grenadier rode a measured race before dropping the hammer on his rivals at the race’s half-way point, accelerating clear to win by an impressive margin of 30 seconds.
Victory marked a complete set of CX world titles for the Brit, adding to gold medals in both the junior and under-23 ranks. It also saw him make more history as the first British male to win the elite cyclo-cross event.
Despite being outnumbered by the Belgian team, Pidcock looked comfortable on the fast and dry course in Arkansas. After asserting himself on the opening lap, Pidcock was able to get the better of the battle for position within the leading pack.
At the end of lap four he made his move, capitalising on a slip from chief rival Eli Iserbyt to open out a gap. He rammed his advantage home on lap five as the Belgian team attempted to regroup, building a winning gap over Lars van der Haar and Iserbyt.
Fellow Grenadier Ben Turner was also in action for Great Britain and finished 14th after a strong ride on a memorable day.
Reaction
- Tom Pidcock
- Tom Pidcock
"That was always going to be a super hard race. The drier it became the more the Belgians were trying to ride a tactical race. I just went out there as if I was going to war – I was having none of it – and I found my opportunity and made it stick.
"With Wout (Van Aert) and Mathieu (van der Poel) not being here I think it almost became harder to win the race. It was almost that everyone expected the race to be easier now. But you can’t go into the race with that mentality – it’s going to be a super hard race no matter who is in the race. But we came here with a plan and a process and we just stuck to the process.
"It turned out good in the end. But coming to America, arriving a week before, sitting in a hotel the stress just builds and it’s a tough one to manage for sure."
