'It was a lot closer, but not close enough' – Tom Pidcock challenges Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche

A rider’s air disappointment on the podium is always a sign of how much they believed they could win a race. Tom Pidcock struggled to raise a smile in Siena’s Piazza del Campo, knowing that he took the race to Tadej Pogačar and was his equal for 50 kilometres. Second place, the best of the rest, was a huge result but Pidcock had hoped for more.

“I have a bittersweet feeling now. It was pretty close in the end, you know, a lot closer than in previous attempts to beat Tadej. It was a lot closer, but not close enough,” Pidcock explained post race when asked by Cycling News about his performance.

“This is what I hope for. I knew I was in good shape, I think I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in and it was nice to be in the race for so long with him.”

Pidcock agreed that it was one of his best performances in a major Spring Classic. He has won Strade Bianche and the Amstel Gold Race but in Siena he tried to take on Pogačar.

“For sure I was feeling super good today. When there’s 70km to go and you attack. I was pretty strong.

“My plan was just to follow when he attacked. I knew he was going go but he was kind of waiting, and I thought, OK, I’ll go then.

“I knew it was going to be a long way but I was super comfortable with the pace UAE was setting even though there were only a few of us left when I attacked and then Tadej attacked also. After that we were just riding zone two on the front.”

Unfortunately for Pidcock, Pogačar was stronger and even came back from a high-speed slide out and a bike change.

“Everything went through my mind when he crashed,” Pidcock revealed.

“We were going pretty fast, so I’m glad he’s alright. I looked behind and Connor Swift wasn’t there after the crash and so I thought it’s 50km to go and I’m on my own with a gap of  a minute and 30 seconds. But then Tadej was back on his bike and so I waited. It was the right thing to do.”

Pidcock admitted that Pogačar seemed to have incredible, Terminator-level resilience.

“I don’t think it affected him so much. He looks pretty hurt, but it would affect me more,” he admitted.

“Is he superhuman?” Pidcock was asked.

“You have to cut him open when he dies and see…” Pidcock joked.

“What do you expect to find?”

“Heart, lungs, the normal shit,” he joked.