'Just go and race' - Pidcock fired up for season opener after Chile training camp

Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) says his preparations for the 2026 season have been “really good” in the last few weeks following “a little bit of inconsistency” early on as he kicks off his campaign at the Vuelta a la Región de Murcia.

Pidcock had been on a training camp in Chile alongside several of his Pinarello-Q36.5 teammates in January, and revealed his feelings before the start of the first stage of the two-day event in Murcia on Thursday morning.

“Yeah, in the end, good," said Pidcock when asked by Cycling Pro Net about how his winter preparations have been. “I think I had a little bit of inconsistency through the winter, but in the end, the last weeks have been really good. I feel really good, but obviously coming to the first race is always difficult, coming from the mountains with the speed in the legs.” 

Pidcock starts his second season with Pinarello-Q36.5 off the back of a successful 2025 campaign following his high-profile switch from Ineos Grenadiers to the second division team. 

The British star will be aiming to pick up where he left off, in terms of stage racing, following a maiden Grand Tour podium at the Vuelta a España, as he gears towards a Tour de France return in July following a year’s absence.

The 26-year-old pathway to the Tour de France begins with a Spanish block of racing which also includes the gravel one-day race Clásica Jaén, and the Ruta Del Sol stage race, where he finished third overall last year behind Pavel Sivakov. Pidcock explained the need to open up his engine as the reason for starting in Murcia.

“I think these races suit me quite well at the start of the year. Ruta’s a good stage race with no time trial, and we wanted to add, and then we also thought, 'yeah, okay, we add this race as well, because I always take a race to get going.' So, that's why I'm sat here.”

The opening stage to Yecla features the relatively short but steep climb, the Alto Virgen del Castillo, which comes three kilometres from the finish, but a downhill run-in. A finish that on paper suits the British rider, who plans to take the race as it comes.

“Yeah, no, it definitely suits me. It's quite short, but look, we'll have a go, we’ll test the water, and we see how it goes. We don’t need to try and be smart today, just go and race,” said Pidcock.

With the windy weather conditions, Pidcock joked: "We first need to stay on our bikes." 

It has since been confirmed that the stage has been shortened in length to 89.2km.