Tom Pidcock made his much-anticipated debut with the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team at the AlUla Tour on Monday, admitting that leaving Ineos Grenadiers during the winter was a chance for a new start to his career.
"Things changed, and I felt a big weight off my shoulders, a big sense of relief and freedom. It’s really refreshing and motivating,” Pidcock told the host broadcaster of the AlUla Tour.
The Yorkshireman is immediately aiming high in the Saudi Arabian desert, looking to help Q36.5 make a splash as race organisers decide the wildcard invitations to the Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España and other major races.
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Pidcock tried to go for a late time bonus sprint in the opening stage at the AlUla Tour, but his lead-out was eventually overtaken by Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility), Jens Reynders (Wagner Bazin WB) and Frank van den Broek Picnic-PostNL) who appeared to have the same idea. Pidcock finished safely in the peloton as teammate Matteo Moschetti was fourth behind winner Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep).
"It's a nice race to start," Pidcock said pre-race after arriving in Saudi Arabia late on Sunday after a delayed and redirected charter flight from Europe.
"It's early in the year, but I wanted to start earlier. I've never raced in this part of the world before, so it's a new experience."
The five days of racing in the desert include three stages for the sprinters. Pidcock is focused on the other, far harder stages that will decide the overall general classification.
Tuesday's 157.7km second stage is to Bir Jaydah mountain Wirkah and includes several climbs. The final 54km includes two laps of a hilly finishing circuit. The final climb to the line is 2.9km long at 9.2%.
Stage 4 ends with the steep ramp up to the Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid, with the winner likely to gain enough time to secure overall victory. Simon Yates on the stage in 2024 to win overall. Eddie Dunbar defends Jayco AlUla's hopes this year, but Pidcock is his biggest rival.
"I think they'll come together," Pidcock said when asked if he would target stage victories or the GC.
"The only thing that could throw a spanner in the works is the wind. If you miss it, that's the GC gone, otherwise it'll be won on seconds."
Pidcock has already accepted that Q36.5 will not secure a wildcard invitation to the 2025 Tour de France but has other goals. Q36.5 received a wildcard invitation to Paris-Roubaix and hopes others will soon follow. He seems confident of a ride in Italy in March, and so a return to Strade Bianche, which he won in 2023 and a shot at Milan-San Remo.
"I will ride Ruta del Sol, the Opening Weekend and especially the Italian block," he told the Dutch website Indeleiderstrui.
Pidcock already seems at ease Q36.5, happy to put the tensions and divorce from Ineos Grenadiers behind him. Little is known about what happened after the Tour de France, the impact of the revelations of the Netflix documentary and the team management's decision not to select Pidcock for Il Lombardia.
He insisted he has fitted in well at Q36.5 after the team welcomed him with open arms.
"It is much, much easier to ride in a new team than I could have imagined. I just jumped in and adapted to the atmosphere straight away. That went smoothly," Pidcock said.
"Because I haven't done cyclocross, I've had a slightly different preparation. But that's working well. I've had a good winter and haven't had any disruptions in terms of illness and so on. I certainly can't complain, and I'm looking forward to starting the season."
Pidcock will be in Saudi Arabia this week instead of preparing for the UCI Cyclocross World Championships. He won the world title in 2022 in the USA, but opted not to race any cyclocross races this winter.
"To be honest, I didn't miss cyclocross at all this winter," Pidcock said.
'The fact that I didn't miss it is also because I didn't watch any races. But I don't watch road races either; the only thing I see on TV is mountain biking.
"I was occupied. I changed teams, that's why. Does it mean anything for the coming years? No, next year I plan to go back to cyclocross."
