Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) has agreed with the outlook of his coach, Kurt Bogaerts, who said the British rider would find it very hard to compete with - and ever beat - Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert in cyclocross races.
Bogaerts said both Pidcock's rivals were much more powerful than him, which meant it was going to be very hard for the world champion to beat the Belgian and Dutch riders. And after going up against Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) at Hulst on Sunday, where Pidcock was clearly outgunned, the British rider has said beating Van der Poel to victory at any point will be very difficult.
“I don't have the weight and the same power as those two. It's hard to beat them in races like this," he said of Van der Poel and Van Aert in an interview with In De Leiderstrui after Sunday's race. Van der Poel won the race and while Pidcock had to abandon due to a broken rear rim, Van der Poel had already ridden away from him.
Advertisement
Pidcock said he was also more focused on training and being in peak condition for next year's road season. He said that had its "advantages for the road, but disadvantages for 'cross", but insisted he would still keep doing his best to beat Van Aert (Jumbo Visma) and Van der Poel.
Related News
Pidcock added his form had improved once he began riding cycloross races because he needed to race to top up his 'cross condition. "You cannot simulate 'cross in training sessions. I am also a one-man team and do not train with teammates. That makes it more difficult for me to have the race pace right from the start."
Bogaerts, who looks after Pidcock as a personal coach-DS within Ineos Grenadiers, last week told the Play Sports podcast that it was going to be hard for Pidcock to ever beat Van der Poel or Van Aert in cyclocross, especially on courses suited to powerful riders.
“The strong opposition of Wout and Mathieu is very unique in the cross,” Bogaerts said. “They control the course, in all facets. If it weren’t for them, Tom would have won a lot more.
“He is often on the podium with them now, but it is difficult for Tom to beat them. Wout and Mathieu are much better at cross, they have more absolute power, which comes in handy in the mud and in the sand. Tom is a lightweight, 58 kilograms. He is currently not far from his Tour weight.”
