Tom Pidcock is not happy at the Tour de Yorkshire's treatment of Team Wiggins, which includes three Irish riders, and has expressed his frustration.
Tom Pidcock on Team Wiggins Tour de Yorkshire omission
Currently the highest profile young rider in the Team Wiggins line-up, Tim Pidcock has criticised the decision not to invite the squad to the Tour de Yorkshire.
The teenager, and multi European and world champion, said the team should have been picked.
Furthermore, he bemoaned the lack of explanation for the non-selection, pointing out Team Wiggins has five Yorkshire riders in its roster.
Pidcock may yet ride the race, on a Great Britain selection. But he told cyclist his trade team definitely should have been picked.
It is the second year Team Wiggins has missed out. As a result, many have speculated its absence from the start list is linked to the controversy around Bradley Wiggins over the last 18 months.
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Pidcock said given the circumstances everyone in Team Wiggins was wary of commenting publicly. But his disappointment with the Tour de Yorkshire organisers was clear.
“I don’t think many or any of the other non WorldTour teams can say they converted five riders to WorldTour,” he said of his Continental team’s record.
“I might be wrong, but what I’m trying to say is we deserve to be there. We also have five riders from Yorkshire.
“It’s fair to say us riders have suffered and missed out on a valuable opportunity to gain experience. We have no explanation as to why we have been overlooked again.
“Obviously it’s a disappointment for me, and of course the team, as it is the race I was looking forward to most on home roads.”
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Tom Pidcock winning junior TT gold at the Worlds in Bergen last year (Photo: Sean Rowe)
The team not riding the race also means three Irish riders miss out on the chance of selection. Michael O'Loughlin, Mark Downey and Matt Teggart are all now riding for the squad.
And all three would have fancied their chances of being picked to race against some of the biggest teams in the world close to home.
Team Wiggins and owner's situation
Wiggins' reputation has been badly damaged by two scandals. And many in the cycling world believe there is a link to the team's omission from the four-stage race in May.
Russian hackers leaked details of TUEs, for powerful medicines, Wiggins availed of. It revealed he got those TUEs just before major races. They included the 2012 Tour de France which he won.
Wiggins has also been caught up in the inquiries into a so-called jiffy bag. It was delivered to Team Sky in France in 2011. The team claimed it contained an over the counter decongestant.
However, it has been unable to furnish paperwork to back up its claims. And a UK parliamentary committee said it did not believe evidence given to it by team principal Dave Brailsford.
However, Wiggins has pointed out the most damning evidence relied upon by the parliamentary committee was anonymous. And he has complained it was never put to anyone in Team Sky.
A UK Anti Doping inquiry into the jiffy bag could find no evidence of any doping offence.
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