Tom Pidcock enters Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday as the highest returning finisher of the 2023 race, within the absence of earlier winner Remco Evenepoel, and off the again of blended fortunes within the Ardennes he might be a critical favorite for La Doyenne.
Pidcock took a surprising total victory at Amstel Gold – breaking the seemingly adamantine successful streak of Mathieu van der Poel. However, he couldn’t produce the identical kind at La Flèche Wallonne the place he was one of many dozens of riders who suffered from brutally chilly situations.
“I can’t say I’m happy with my efficiency in Flèche,” Pidcock mentioned in feedback shared by Ineos Grenadiers on Saturday morning. “There have been undoubtedly higher males on the market than me that day, however I received so chilly it was unimaginable to consider the bike race anymore.”
The situations have been such that quite a few riders have been handled for hypothermic signs, with Mattias Skjelmose being essentially the most controversial case as movies circulated on social media of the Lidl-Trek rider struggling and shaking with indicators of hypothermia.
Turning his consideration towards Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the British rider described his kind as “Really good” forward of the race.
“This is an actual favorite race of mine. I’m trying ahead to the problem and struggling,” he mentioned. “I understand how exhausting will probably be however I’m prepared for that.”
While Pidcock enters as a robust contender, he may have an enormous problem amid a hotly anticipated face-off between Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar – each of whom have returned from a coaching block in Spain.
Indeed, Van der Poel has his eyes mounted on Strade Bianche winner Pogačar as his main rival. “In Liège, the contenders can’t be counted on one hand, with Tadej Pogačar within the lead, after all,” the Dutch rider mentioned.
However, he didn’t low cost the younger British rider both. “There can be Tom Pidcock. I consider Richard Carapaz, Tiesj Benoot, Mattias Skjelmose, Maxim Van Gils, Dylan Teuns, you title it…. All guys who proved up to now week that they’re in fine condition and are on paper higher climbers than myself,” Van der Poel mentioned.
Pidcock might be hoping to construct on his momentum from Amstel Gold and his earlier kind in Liège. “I feel final yr I raced tremendous properly,” Pidcock mentioned. “Tactically and likewise bodily, I received essentially the most out of what I had within the locker, so I might be happy with that.”
Pidcock enters the race supported by a robust Ineos Grenadiers workforce together with Richard Carapaz, Michal Kwiatkowski and Ethan Hayter, and a primary Monument win is a transparent ambition.
“I actually need to chase my first Monument win,” Pidcock siad. “That’s what I attempt to do each time I begin one now.”
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