Tom Pidcock rebounds in Gavere, making up 26 places to land on podium
Briton says, "It was a bit annoying" after early r𒁏ace mishaps in UCI Cyclocross World Cup
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 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:UCI Cyclocross World Cup round 😼in Gavere on Tuesday.
The former cyclocross world champion was competing in his fourth race of a shortened 'cr🐼oss season as he focuses o♚n other goals across the road and mountain bike disciplines next year.
Despite winning the UCI Cyclo𝔉cross World Cup round in Namur nine days earlier the Briton was forced to start well down the grid in Ga⭕vere.
The muddy course, which featured a treacherous descent, resulted in a frantic opening lap with the Ineos Grenadiers finding 🐈himself in 29th position.
Rivals 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Mathieu van der Poel and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果: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,ও 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 be♏hind winner Van der Poel and jus🅠t 22 seconds behind Van Aert.
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"It w💧as 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 t﷽o 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 nic💛e 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 Antwer☂p 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 Jor🥃is 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.
Comi❀ng into the last lap Pidcock battled with Nie💦uwenhuis 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 iဣn 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 c✃ourse. 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.
Ben raced as an amateur cyclist in the UK from a young age into the senior ranks on the road, track and in cyclocross. He has an NQJ qualification in journalism, and a sports journalism degree, and has spent over 10 years as a news and sports journalist. Ben has been covering cyclocross for media outlets, including Cyclingnews, since 2021 and has been on the ground reporting at World Championships in Zolder, Belvaux, Valkenberg, Dubendorf, and Hoogerheide. Away from cycling as a freelance sp♉orts journalist, Ben regularly reports on a range of sports including football, rugby, and snooker amongst others. However, he is happiest whilst reporting on-site at cyclocross races in Belgium and the Netherlands.