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Tom Pidcock's top tips for moving from mid-pack to podium in cross-country
Last year saw Tom Pidcock race from the 11th row of the grid to the podium in his first Elite cross-country World Cup in Albstadt. Here the Brit talks us through how he went about achieving that task.
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We know that Tom Pidcock can win at Elite level in cyclo-cross, and we've recently seen him step up and win at World Tour level on the road, but could the U23 Cross-country Mountain Bike World Champion repeat this success in his first senior XCO World Cup?
Well, not quite, but it was close! Pidcock was the 76th rider on the grid in Albstadt and finished in fifth, despite suffering a puncture during the race. His main target before the race was to be inside the top 16 so he could race short track at Nové Město and be on the first two rows for that race. The Albstadt course is notorious for start loop congestion and limited passing opportunities, so how did the young Brit move up through the field and land himself on the podium?
Podium was a good reward for Pidcock's efforts at Albstadt
© Bartek Wolinski
No plan is better sometimes than having a plan
You might think that such an impressive feat was thanks to the perfect execution of a meticulous plan, but Pidcock says that there was no detailed breakdown of how he should ride or tick-boxes to check off as the race progressed. Instead, the goal was, in very British fashion, to simply keep calm and carry on!
“There wasn't really a plan, more like: don’t stress out too much, keep patient and take your opportunities. The goal was not to go into the red too far, and get as far as I could to the front.”
This flexibility helped to keep things as relaxed as possible; there was no stress about not hitting targets, because there was just a simple, overall goal to keep in mind.
Moments of calm away from other riders before the race
© Bartek Wolinski
Keeping things simple on the start line
So much is spoken about how a good start is critical for a successful race. Indeed, the short track (XCC) race that happens on Friday stakes much of its importance on the possibility to claim a front row start for Sunday. So, how did Pidcock deal mentally with the disadvantage of starting so far back? Firstly, he flips it around and sees the positive:
“There was no stress with that starting position because it can only get better!”
Rather than overthinking the start procedure of call-up boxes (where you are placed with other riders on the row you start on) and then gridding, Pidcock stuck to what he knew: cyclo-cross. He decided not to spin on the rollers in the call-up boxes, as this isn't done in cyclo-cross and he didn’t complicate the final moments before the start. He’s a big fan of keeping things simple.
Count 11 rows back and that's where Pidcock started
© Bartek Wolinski
Make space when the race starts
So far, it’s all about being the king of calm, but what about the frantic fight for position once the lights go green?
“Firstly, you have to get off the line without trouble. Then it’s important to create space for yourself; weave a bit and put your elbows out a little. If you want to be in a space, you’ve got to get your handlebars in front. Then, try and make room for yourself into that first corner because everyone is skidding and diving in.”
Cross-country starts can be messy affairs. Crashes happen frequently
© Bartek Wolinski
The track should determine your overtaking tactics
Pidcock made an impressive start, his power and race-craft combining to bring him up to around 20th position at the end of the start-loop. However, behind the power was patience. Rather than fight through and risk crashes or unnecessary energy expenditure, Pidcock advises letting the track dictate when to make a move.
“You have to try and wait for the opportunities to move when there's space. You have to wait a second to gain a lot.”
Pidcock had to pick his moments on the course to overtake other riders
© Bartek Wolinski
Don't go into the red
Of course, all this was balanced against the huge physical exertion of laying down some of the fastest lap times in the race. How is it possible to control the effort and ride the fine line of moving forward but not going irrevocably into the red?
“That’s the tricky thing! At the start I went deep because I knew it would make more of a difference in the long run, but I went too far into the red and then made a mistake when I was at the front and it took me a lap to get myself back together.”
Pidcock went deep early on and then tried recovering his energy mid-race
© Bartek Wolinski
Focus on refueling
Regaining composure is not an easy task during a race and amidst the constant task of improving your position is also the importance of sustaining that effort with nutrition and hydration. At the World Cup in Albstadt this was especially critical, due to the unexpected heat on race day. In this instance, it was a case of keep calm, pass successfully through the pits and then carry on!
“It’s really important to fuel. Once you get to the pits you need to forget about overtaking for a moment and try and get your bottle and gel or whatever you need.”
Build into a race
Pidcock says that the nearer he got to the front, the tougher the fight was to pass riders. But with a puncture behind him and a podium ahead of him, he was relishing the challenge and trying to finish strong.
Having something left in the tank is important and in the last lap of a race you know whether you’ve managed that balance between moving forward and not burning all your matches too early. Ideally, says Pidcock, you want to build into a race, but getting clear of the early traffic is always going to use up some precious energy.
With a fifth-placed finish, Pidcock certainly made a big impression on both the race and the riders in it. As Nino Schurter stepped onto the podium, he congratulated Pidcock on a “super impressive” ride.
Pidcock rode as perfect a race as possible in the circumstances
© Bartek Wolinski
A relaxed and simple attitude helps
On reflection, Pidcock explains that his experience of Junior cyclo-cross racing – where he had to start from the back in his first year – certainly helped with the challenge in Albstadt, but that this experience was a still a special one.
“It was good. If the race went perfectly, I believe I might have been able to win the race from where I was – I’m happy, but without puncturing it could have gone better.”
A happy Pidcock gives Red Bull TV the lowdown on his race at the finish
© Bartek Wolinski
With the combination of a simple plan, relaxed attitude, calm execution and, of course, a phenomenally talented rider, it’s possible to go from the 11th row of an Elite World Cup to the podium. And it seems it’s even possible to win if things pan out perfectly.
Find out more about Pidcock's career to date and his journey to being a pro cyclist here.
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