‘I did what I could’ – Pidcock goes close at Montreal Worlds despite crash

This far, but no further. Tom Pidcock’s fierce acceleration on the Voie Camillien-Houde would bring him to within ten seconds of lone escapee Brandon McNulty on the final lap of the World Championships, but he fell just short of bridging across to American, and the rainbow jersey escaped his grasp.

Seventh place, 14 seconds down on McNulty, scarcely did justice to Pidcock’s impact on a tumultuous edition of the World Championships. Mathieu van der Poel impressed with a long-range attack and Isaac del Toro and Paul Seixas looked sharp for long stretches, but after McNulty went clear, Pidcock looked the man most likely to deny him the title.

Pidcock’s performance was all the more notable given that he had been forced into a pursuit after a mid-race crash, but he was reluctant to reach for excuses when he rolled through the mixed zone.

The Worlds was a slugging match for the first ten laps on the finishing circuit, but it became rather more tactical on the last two laps, with Matteo Jorgenson marking the accelerations and Del Toro seemingly unwilling to help chase his UAE Team Emirates-XRG trade teammate. So it goes.

“I mean, the crash definitely didn’t help, and it was a bit of a chase, but tactically it was very difficult in the end,” Pidcock told Eurosport. 

“I think I had really, really good legs, honestly. But it was hard to make the difference, to get the gap with the wind the way it was, with the USA team and with Matteo, who was super strong once Brandon attacked, and obviously Isaac is on the same team as well. 

“It was always going to be super difficult to make a difference there in the end after six hours. So yeah, it’s a bit disappointing, honestly, but I think I can be really happy with my legs, and there’s more years to try.”

Pidcock has won world titles in mountain biking and cyclocross and, in the absence of Tadej Pogacar, this was his best chance of adding a rainbow jersey on the road at elite level. He had his British teammate Oscar Onley up the road in the Van der Poel move, while he was supported by Adam Yates behind, and he was in the front group when McNulty launched his winning move with 33km to go.

“There isn’t much more I could have done,” Pidcock said. “I think it was really difficult. No one would have wanted to work together in that group. So [to decide whether] to wait and just gamble all on the last lap or to try something, I think it was difficult. I don’t think I have any regrets. I mean, I did what I could.”