Tom Pidcock has signed a five-year contract extension with Ineos Grenadiers, the team has confirmed.
The Briton's signature has been much sought-after since it was revealed earlier this year that he was on the market for the 2023 season, with a new deal yet to be signed.
Earlier this month, Cyclingnews learned, however, that the British squad had warded off interest from several leading bike brands, including Trek and Cannondale, to secure him on a long-term deal through the 2027 season.
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Pidcock is currently the Olympic cross-country mountain bike champion and the world cyclo-cross champion as well as a star on the road, and it was this versatility and multi-disciplinary appeal which had proved appealing to other teams and brands.
However, Pidcock will now remain with Ineos and Pinarello for the next half-decade. He said that he's happy to stay at the team he "grew up dreaming of joining".
"Ineos Grenadiers is the right team for me," said Pidcock, who finished third at Wednesday's Dwars door Vlaanderen. "It's become my home over the past year and it's incredible to think it's the team I grew up dreaming of joining.
"To have the trust of the team and Ineos is an amazing feeling. With the quality of staff and riders I've met and raced alongside, it's been clear since day one that there's no better team in which to spend the next five years of my career.
"Ineos Grenadiers have backed me all the way, across every discipline I've raced in. I couldn't have asked for better support leading up to my mountain-bike Olympic gold and cyclo-cross world title. For my future goals – chasing Monuments, world titles, and one day a Grand Tour – this is definitely the best place to be."
Team principal Dave Brailsford praised Pidcock's versatility and noted that the team would continue to support the 22-year-old as he races road, cyclo-cross and mountain bike going forward.
"Tom's an incredibly talented bike racer but what sets him apart is his versatility," Brailsford said. "Already an Olympic gold medallist, cyclo-cross world champion and proven winner on the road, he's at the heart of an exciting new generation of young riders who've grown up riding multiple disciplines and love full-on racing.
"I admire the values he brings to his racing, which fit perfectly with those of the Ineos Grenadiers. Given he is so young, easy going and fun, the intensity and determination he has is remarkable and he gives his all every time he gets on a bike.
"The length of the relationship we've agreed with Tom gives us the opportunity to enable his ambitious, multi-disciplined goals, while giving him the benefit of learning from the wisdom and experience of his many champion teammates. I'm very excited about what we can achieve together."
Targeting the Tour
Having signed the deal that will keep him at Ineos until 2027, thoughts naturally turn to what Pidcock can achieve in that time.
Having claimed the 'cross world title in Fayetteville in late January, Pidcock switched his attention to the road at the Volta ao Algarve in February. His spring Classics campaign has been disrupted by stomach problems, but he was back in the thick of the action with a podium at Dwars door Vlaanderen and is among the contenders for the Tour of Flanders.
However, it seems Pidcock's long-term future will revolve around the Grand Tours.
"Of course, someday I do want to try and win the Tour. I’ve made that clear," Pidcock, who won the U23 Giro in 2020, told reporters on Thursday. "When? I’m not sure."
Speaking shortly after Pidcock, Servais Knaven gave some indication, suggesting his rider should continue to target the one-day Classics in the early phases of his career and think about the Grand Tours later on.
"We all know Tom has great potential everywhere," Knaven said. "He can climb, he's good in a TT, he's fast. For sure he can do well in Grand Tours as well.
"First I’d say try to win some one-day races and chase this dreams, then give it a go in the Grand Tours."
In any case, Pidcock sees himself at the core of the team's future, suggesting he's at the heart of a new generation that's being primed for the future.
"Now you see with the signing of quite a few young guys, we’re kind of building the next wave of riders. I think if I can lead that, and kind of be the guide of the young riders coming up and kind of create our own bubble and group, we could be really successful."
