Tom Pidcock brushes off bee sting ahead of 'biggest opportunity' to win road world title

The Briton already owns world titles in cyclocross and mountain biking, but has yet to win the elite road race. Speaking shortly before the start in Montréal, Pidcock acknowledged that this year’s course and his current form give him a genuine opportunity.

“I think it’s the biggest opportunity, yeah,” Pidcock told Eurosport.

“Having said that, it’s not easy. We know how many people there are that could win today. So I’m going to give it a shot. The legs will do the talking, I think. Simple as that, really.”

Pidcock’s final week of preparation included a rather unusual interruption when he was stung in the face by a bee while training, leaving him with considerable swelling around his upper lip.

The incident looked dramatic, but Pidcock said it quickly became little more than an uncomfortable inconvenience.

“No, it was fine,” he said. “Very painful initially. It was a bit of a surprise. I was almost back and stood by the side of the road massaging my face for a bit, but no, it was fine.”

The 27-year-old has had a strong build towards the Worlds. Less than a month ago he became mountain bike world champion in Val di Sole, before switching his attention back to the road.

He immediately won the GP Industria & Artigianato in Italy, then finished fourth at the GP Québec and sixth at the GP Montréal. Those Canadian races offered an important test on repeated climbs similar to those he will face in Sunday’s road race.

Earlier this week, Pidcock admitted that switching back from mountain biking to road racing had not been straightforward, even after carrying strong form through the final part of the season.

“The second transition is more difficult,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “That is why I raced in Italy and then the Canadian races before the World Championships.”

Pidcock has made no secret of how much a road world title would mean to him. After winning the mountain bike rainbow jersey in August, he said that if he could choose one more road race to win in his career, it would be the World Championships.

On Sunday, Great Britain will give him the freedom to pursue that ambition as one of the team’s protected riders alongside Adam Yates.

Pidcock said the British squad had spent plenty of time discussing how it wanted to approach the race and believes that preparation has brought the group closer together.

“I think it’s come together quite well and we’ve talked about it quite a lot,” he said.

“We definitely have a good team spirit. I think we’re going to ride quite well together today. I have a good feeling.”