Tom Pidcock rebounds in Gavere, making up 26 places to land on podium

Tom Pidcock spoke of his frustration after a fourth-row start and a slipped chain resulted in the British star losing valuable time, before fighting back to finish third in the UCI Cyclocross World Cup round in Gavere on Tuesday.

The former cyclocross world champion was competing in his fourth race of a shortened 'cross season as he focuses on other goals across the road and mountain bike disciplines next year.

Despite winning the UCI Cyclocross World Cup round in Namur nine days earlier the Briton was forced to start well down the grid in Gavere.

The muddy course, which featured a treacherous descent, resulted in a frantic opening lap with the Ineos Grenadiers finding himself in 29th position.

Rivals Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert battled at the front during the opening laps resulting in the race fragmenting and Pidcock being stuck behind.

After the third of seven laps, the British rider found himself in eighth position and 1:20 behind solo leader Van der Poel.

Pidcock continued his charge to the front eventually finishing third 58 seconds behind winner Van der Poel and just 22 seconds behind Van Aert.

"It was a bit annoying really," said Pidcock. "At the start, it wasn't like I had a bad start, I just had nowhere to go. Then I was in 10th position on the second lap and then my chain came off.

"I was again behind. I spent all day chasing, at one point I was riding quite fast. In the end, I was making a few mistakes, but at least I'm on the podium.

"Maybe in the first lap, I wasted a bit of energy trying to go through gaps that perhaps weren't there. That was the only chance to even try and win today.

"It was just a shame about the start, it would have been nice to be at the front racing from the beginning. But all in all, I rode a good race."

After winning in Namur, an illness impacted Pidcock's training before Saturday's race in Antwerp in which he finished eighth.

The 24-year-old showed fighting spirit to battle for a podium in the closing laps in Gavere. At the midpoint, the Briton was 24 seconds behind the Baloise Trek Lions duo of Joris Nieuwenhuis and Lars Van der Haar.

On the penultimate lap, Pidcock reached the duo before sliding out on an off-camber corner and having to ride back to the pair.

Coming into the last lap Pidcock battled with Nieuwenhuis before powering away from the Dutch rider on the final sections, his competitor finishing with a flat tyre.

Despite matching the lap times of winner Van der Poel the Ineos Grenadiers rider fears that the Alpecin–Deceuninck rider will have the edge when they meet again in Diegem in two days.

"Mathieu (Van der Poel) was strong today," said Pidcock. "We know that Mathieu (Van der Poel) is probably the strongest at the moment on every course. He is world champion for a reason."

After finishing a solo second in Gavere, Van Aert is back in action tomorrow (Wednesday) in Heusden-Zolder and will miss Diegem.