Race news
Tom Pidcock suffers unusual training setback ahead of World Championships - 'I had a fight'
Tom Pidcock has been left with a badly swollen lip after an unfortunate encounter during training, just one week before he targets the road race world title in Montréal.
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Tom Pidcock
The British rider shared a selfie on Instagram Stories on Saturday showing considerable swelling to his upper lip after apparently being stung by a bee or wasp.
“I had a fight,” Pidcock joked alongside the picture.
There is currently nothing to suggest the incident will interfere with his preparations for the men's road race on September 27. With a full week remaining before the race, it appears to be little more than an uncomfortable interruption to what has otherwise been an encouraging build towards the World Championships.
Pidcock has spent the past few weeks sharpening his form with Montréal firmly in mind. After becoming mountain bike world champion in August, he immediately carried that momentum onto the road, winning the GP Industria & Artigianato with a solo attack.
He then travelled to Canada for two important tests on terrain similar to what awaits at the World Championships. Pidcock finished fourth at the GP Québec before taking sixth at the GP Montréal, where the repeated climbing provided a useful indication of his condition ahead of the rainbow jersey battle.
Rather than remaining in Canada, Pidcock travelled to the United States after the two races to complete the final part of his preparation before returning to Montréal.
Pidcock will head into the road race as one of Great Britain's two protected leaders. British Cycling has confirmed that Adam Yates will receive the same status, giving the team two cards to play on a demanding Montréal course. Yates, who helped Tadej Pogačar to a record equalling fifth Tour de France victory earlier this summer, finished 13th at the GP Montréal.
Behind the two leaders, Great Britain has selected a strong climbing group. Oscar Onley arrives after finishing sixth overall and winning the youth classification at the Vuelta a España, while Finlay Pickering and Callum Thornley will make their elite Worlds road race debuts. James Shaw, British champion Fred Wright and Pidcock's Q36.5 teammate Mark Donovan complete the eight rider selection.
