'Before the Giro d'Italia, I would give him five stars' – Tom Pidcock's team less bullish for gravel stage victory after Briton's poor mountain performance

Tom Pidcock's team Q36.5 are less bullish about his chances to claim victory on the gravel stage 9 of the Giro d'Italia, which is a scaled-down route of Strade Bianche, a race he has won previously, after he lost contact on Friday's first summit finish.

The Brit has, of course, been labelled as one of the favourites for the day, which finishes in Siena's Piazza del Campo, alongside the likes of fellow former winner Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek).

But his team scaled back their expectations on the eve of the stage, admitting that doubts had begun to creep in after he lost 34 seconds on the final climb, one which suited him on paper, to Tagliacozzo on stage 7.

"I'm not telling any surprises, he is tomorrow the man with maybe three, four, or five stars, I don't know how you judge him," said DS Jenz Zemke to Cyclingnews, before giving his own judgement.

"Before the Giro, I would give him the full range, five stars, but after yesterday, maybe a bit less. I hope it was only a day when he struggled a bit. Today, he was good, up there on the final steep climb. It's also the last final straight up to Siena that suits him.

"We are in the game."

Even prior to his lacklustre performance on the first long climb of the race, which had been an "unknown" for Pidcock anyway, his coach made sure to temper expectations for Pidcock on the gravel day, knowing full well that racing these roads during a Grand Tour is vastly different from the one-day race in March.

"It's another opportunity, there are so many for him in the Giro, but we'll have to see how the gravel stage pans out with a breakaway or not," Kurt Bogaerts told Cyclingnews before stage 6.

"It's an exciting Giro for us, to see a lot of chances, so you don't need to highlight one particular day.

"I don't think he enters the gravel stage with any extra pressure, it's just something he'll look forward to because it's the roads he likes to race on, in line with off-road, and a really nice mix up – it lights up the race for us."

Zemke also admitted how different the nature of racing Tuscany's strade bianche during a Grand Tour is, with several stages of chasing victory and staying up there in GC already in the legs, far more than one 215-kilometre effort.

"It's also only five gravel sectors, 29km, that's much less, and on a shorter distance, but you come with the fatigue of eight days in the legs," said Zemke.

"It's also the ninth stage already, but if you have to put stars, he is one of the favourites."

They were nonetheless still hopeful he could bring the Swiss team a maiden Grand Tour stage on their debut at one of cycling's prestigious three-week races, while a victory would also be Pidcock's second at a GT and first since he triumphed atop Alpe d'Huez at the 2022 Tour de France.

After all, just two months ago and Pidcock was taking on the best rider in the world, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), and only got dropped by him on the penultimate gravel sector - Colle Pinzuto, which is the final sector of Sunday's stage.

"We have nice memories of this year's edition of Strade Bianche, where we challenged Pogi, the most amazing [rider], but yesterday we were a bit in difficulty with Tom," added Zemke.

"We have to take opportunities, and every day, we look for which opportunity appears. Tomorrow, for sure, if Tom has the legs, he will try – he's technically good, he knows the course, he has good memories, and he has, hopefully, the confidence so we can go for it."

Zemke did concede that he thinks the change in the GC situation, with XDS Astana's Diego Ulissi taking over the pink jersey from Primož Roglič, could be another thorn in the side of Pidcock's opportunity to again conquer the Via Santa Caterina and arrive in Siena victorious.

"What will Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe do? They may try to keep it smooth for Primož," said Zemke, trying to predict how the GC fight will unfold.

"XDS Astana are now in the lead, so they will also be interested in keeping the jersey. Maybe they let a break go, which would reduce our chances."

Pidcock may be too close on GC to be allowed to get away easily, and either way, he will have to endure a furious fight in the opening 112km prior to the first sector if he is to get up the road and maximise his chances for victory.

If he fails to escape, then the internal comments from the team suggest his chances have diminished, though it is the best opportunity yet for him on his Giro debut.

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