Tom Pidcock admitted that his mountain bike gold medal victory at the Paris Olympic Games, subsequent celebrations and growing speculation about his future at Ineos Grenadiers has left him ‘mentally a bit frazzled’.
Pidcock finished 13th in the Olympic Games road race but admitted he struggled to react and play an active part in the long and intense race won by Remco Evenepoel of Belgium.
"I didn't have that extra punch; I was a bit sluggish and slow, and so I was never really in the proper race,” Pidcock said to a small group of British media after the race.
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“I didn't feel like myself. I didn't get much sleep after the mountain bike and too many people gave me birthday cakes on my birthday. I had to take it really easy all week to try to freshen up. I was also mentally exhausted with the Olympics and everything else going on.”
Asked to clarify his position over his future, the Yorkshireman said: "Yeah, that's why I’m mentally a bit frazzled."
Pidcock did not add anything further and the Great Britain press officer quickly ended the interviews at that point.
On Monday, Pidcock won a second consecutive gold medal in the Olympic cross-country mountain bike, coming back from a puncture to pass France’s Victor Koretzky with an audacious move on the final lap.
On the same day, journalist Daniel Benson then suggested via his substack page that Pidcock could try to leave Ineos Grenadiers, with the British team even willing to assist his move by paying part of his apparent considerable salary. Rivals teams are apparently aware that Pidcock could somehow negotiate his way out of his current contract and change teams.
Flemish newspaper Nieuwsblad named Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Lidl-Trek as the two teams interested in signing Pidcock. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe has also been linked to Remco Evenepoel as they look to bolster their roster after investment from the energy drink brand.
Cyclingnews has been told by several sources that teams are interested in Pidcock but the Yorkshirmen does not have a get-out clause in his contract and so would have to force or negotiate a deal to leave Ineos.
Ineos Performance Director Scott Drawer told Cyclingnews during the Tour de France that Pidcock is considered a key part of the British team.
“Tom Pidcock is contracted with us until the end of '27 so none of that's going to change. He's a generational talent,” Drawer said.
“A long-term aspiration for Tom will be fighting for the GC and I think he wants that as well. We look forward to supporting him on that mission. He's definitely got a key role in the team in the long-term future.”
Pidcock’s agent Andrew McQuaid played down any transfer talk to media, while highlighting Pidcock’s appeal, even if he has still to confirm his Grand Tour talent and ambitions.
“Would other teams be interested in Tom? He’s one of the best riders in the world, very few have his multi-discipline talents, so yes I am sure they would be but that’s not a question for today,” McQuaid said.
"The problem with long-term contracts is that things can change over time," McQuaid added. "Tom signed a five-year extension in 2022 and has achieved all the goals so far, as negotiated.”
When contacted by Cyclingnews, an Ineos Grenadiers’ spokesperson said: “We don’t comment on ‘transfer speculation’ regarding our contracted riders.”
Pidcock was occasionally seen near the front of Saturday's road race but admitted he was now ready for a break due to his mental and physical fatigue.
The Olympic Games were a huge goal but he also targeted the Tour de France and overcame COVID-19, which forced him out the Tour after two weeks of racing.
“It was tough to refocus,” Pidcock admitted, citing the impact of winning gold in the mountain bike race last Monday.
“I was able to refocus and come in today on it but that mountain bike race took a lot out of me, and today I just didn't have that extra punch. I was just kind of a bit sluggish and slow. So I was never really in the proper race.”
Pidcock will travel to Britain for a day on Tuesday but wants some time away from the spotlight.
“I think I'm going to go home for one day on Tuesday, before going back to Andorra,” he said.
“I said from the start that I would commit to the road race, I was road captain. I said my focus was mountain bike and then after that, I would switch focus to this with the boys and we’d go out and race, have fun.
“My expectations were to be in the race, and if I got a medal, that would have been awesome. But I was slow, I was just able to keep riding. I had no punch. I didn't really feel like myself.”
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