Pidcock wins in Alpe d’Huez: young all-rounder with big ambitions

Britain’s Thomas Pidcock wins stage 12 of the Tour de France at Alpe d’Huez on his tour debut. The prestigious success should only be the beginning.

When the roar was over and Thomas Pidcock in Alpe d’Huez After a brief moment of silence behind the podium, he still shook his head. Shaking his head, the Briton was already heading towards the finish of the 12th stage of the Tour de France ridden after soloing through the sea of ​​people on this iconic climb in cycling.

“It was definitely one of the best experiences I’ve had in cycling. You literally slalomed through people’s flags, fists and god knows what else.”he said later, still moved by the experiences in the 21 hairpin bends Alpe d’Huez.

Cycling’s upcoming superstar

pidcock is only 22 years old, he makes his tour debut this year. But it’s not as if the Brit hasn’t already had some moving experiences on the bike. Last year he won Olympic gold with the mountain bikein winter he became world champion in cyclocross. pidcock – most observers of cycling agree – is a coming superstar of cycling.

Although that has actually almost been done with the upcoming one. Who at a young age a Tour stage win in Alpe d’Huez has already secured its place in the history books of cycling. But it shouldn’t stop there. “I won a stage of the Tour this year, I’m quite happy”said Pidcock in Alpe d’Huez. “I’m here to learn. And I’ve learned a hell of a lot.”

Breathtaking in the descents

Pidcock’s Ride to this year’s most prestigious stage win Tour de France was a good demonstration of his qualities. The idea of ​​going into the breakaway group came up after the 11th stage, on which he lost his previously good position in the overall classification. “I lost enough time yesterday that I was hoping to get some freedom”he explained.

But when the group of the day formed, it was pidcock not there at first. Only when he was with the peloton on the summit of the Col du Galibier arrived, he attacked on the crest in order to pursue the escapees. The way in which pidcock threw himself into the descents was for one himself mountain bikers and cyclocrosser stunning.

In Alpe d’Huez became pidcock later asked where this ability came from. “Exercise”he explained. “I grew up riding my bike, I rode to school through the forest every day. After that my school uniform was completely dirty. I’m used to handling my bike at the limit in situations. I have a good feel for my bike.”

pidcock has bigger ambitions

Together with the four-time tour winner Chris Froomewho looked a little like his old self that day for the first time since his serious accident in 2019, drove pidcock closed the gap to the breakaway group, which later went into the legendary final climb with a lead of more than five minutes. There sat down pidcock then left a good ten kilometers before the finish and drove towards his first tour stage victory in a solo. He also showed impressive class uphill.

pidcock belongs to that generation of young drivers who bring a whole range of skills and who, for example Wout van Aert and Matthieu van der Poel shine in different disciplines. The Belgian and the Dutchman combine several cyclocross-World Championship title on itself. The two-time tour winner Tadej Pogacar has recently proven several times that he can not only shine in the high mountains, but also masters cobblestones and gravel roads.

“I compare myself to drivers like Pogacar or Wout”, said Pidcock with the confidence of an Olympic and Tour stage winner. But success should only be the beginning: “After this experience I have bigger ambitions for this race in the future.” This did not only mean further stage victories.