Illness forces Tom Pidcock to change final Tour de France preparations

The Briton missed several training days while recovering from the illness. His Pinarello Q36.5 team has therefore decided to give him more time to recover and rebuild before the Tour begins in Barcelona on 4 July.

Pidcock had been due to use the five day Swiss race as his main road test before July. He could now make his return at the Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica on 21 June, although his participation will depend on how his recovery progresses.

The one day race would offer Pidcock a test close to home. He has returned to Andorra, where he will continue training after leaving the team camp in southern Spain.

Missing the Tour de Suisse is a setback for both rider and team. Pinarello Q36.5 is registered in Switzerland, making the race one of the most important dates on its calendar, while Pidcock was expected to use it to sharpen his form against several leading Tour contenders like Tadej Pogačar.

The interruption comes less than three weeks before Pidcock is due to begin his fourth Tour de France. It will also be his first appearance at the race since leaving Ineos Grenadiers and joining Pinarello Q36.5.

Pidcock has deliberately avoided setting a fixed target for July. “This year I’m not going with any expectations,” he said. “I want to race, and I want to have fun, and the rest will come.”

After finishing third at the 2025 Vuelta a España, the 26-year-old has shown that he can remain competitive across a three week Grand Tour. Even so, he does not want that result to create extra pressure ahead of the Tour.

“If I’m not saying, ‘Okay, I want to win a stage, I want to podium, I want to be top five,’ or whatever it is, then there is nothing to fail at,” he said. “I have to enjoy to perform. I’m not the person who can perform off anger.”

That approach will now extend to the final weeks of his preparation, with a full recovery taking priority over any immediate return to racing.