"We mustn’t complain about Pogacar": how Tom Pidcock primes himself for Strade Bianche clash

Strade Bianche is Tom Pidcock’s favorite race, but just like a year ago, the warm-up race at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad didn't inspire much confidence. His coach and Head of Technical Performance at Pinarello-Q36.5, Kurt Bogaerts, is now guiding the 26-year-old Brit throughout the week, hoping to have him start in Italy as the best version of himself. As a former winner and last year's runner-up, he can harbor high ambitions on the way to Siena.

Pidcock already responded briefly Saturday evening to his 48th place in the only cobbled classic on his schedule. He said at the time that he was hypothermic. "We have to be honest that we made a few mistakes there," confirms Bogaerts. "We should have made better clothing choices. Maybe we underestimated the bad weather a bit. Because of that, he got cold. He was also involved in a crash and had to switch bikes. That was too much to recover from, I think."

Did you also see good things?
"Because of that bad luck, he was basically out of the race in terms of results. But from behind the last group, he still managed to ride back forward. I don’t really understand how he pulled that off. From that, I conclude he had a strong physical race. He couldn’t shift on the climbs for a while but still managed to get back into the peloton, even though he had already spent a lot of energy. You can’t do that if you’re not in shape, I think."

Will this still weigh on him?
"No, honestly, he’s not losing any sleep over it. Some teams came out of the Opening Weekend with way more damage. We didn’t crash hard and can count on everyone for Strade. Of course, it would have been better for Tom’s result, but it could also have been a lot worse, and with Aimé De Gendt we still managed a nice fifth at the Omloop. I see plenty of positive signs."

How will the week ahead look for you towards the big goal, Strade Bianche?
"On Tuesday, we had a first, longer reconnaissance just with Tom. To know which equipment we want to use—that’s the main focus. We want to be up to date with the latest developments and leave nothing to chance. On Thursday, we’ll go out again with the whole team."

Is this the race in the entire spring campaign that suits him best with his cyclocross skills?
"I think there are characteristics in Strade Bianche that suit him very well. Tom is the type of rider who has qualities for many races. The choices you make come down to what excites you and where your heart lies to prepare yourself mentally and physically. That fits well with Strade Bianche, but Milan-San Remo, Amstel Gold Race, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège also mean something to him. It’s definitely one of the races he gets out of bed for and feels very strongly about."

How good do you need to be here? After this, there’s still over a month until Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
"I’ve seen in the past that once you hit good form, it allows you to take some rest at the right moments and sharpen that form again. So you’re not always chasing. It’s definitely achievable to be in good shape throughout that entire period, and he’s already proven that in recent years. Last year he was still strong in the Walloon classics. Above all, we don’t want to go home with a bad feeling but start well and then continue that trajectory in the other top classics."

What benchmarks do you have to see that Tom is on track?
"In the final stage of the Ruta del Sol, he showed that he was in good condition. But this season hasn’t really fallen into place yet. Murcia got shortened, although he was very good. Things didn’t go well in the Clasica Jaen either. But mentally, it might actually be better than a year ago. He’s positively surprised by his new teammates, and there’s less stress about the race program. Now that we already know which wildcards we have for the grand tours, our planning is more relaxed."

Only: no matter how good you are, Pogacar is racing.
"In all the big races, you’re going to meet him, right. So yes, you have to deal with him. You have to try to be very good yourself and then see how you can battle him. I think there is something possible. If we aim for a good result, the rest will follow naturally. We shouldn’t complain. It’s only good for the sport that Pogacar is interested in a broad range of races. Honestly, I kind of like that."

But you’re not going to drop him.
"Last year, Tom was the first to attack. Not necessarily to anticipate, but mainly to play to your own strengths. Tom senses his capabilities well, and then it’s a matter of waiting to see how the opposition responds. We’ll try that again. We’re not shy about making the move ourselves, but maybe we end up in a scenario where we have to follow."