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Tom Pidcock is putting his mountain bike back in storage and preparing for his second grand tour of 2025 with a tilt at the Vuelta a España.
The Q36.5 Pro Cycling star — who won the European championships and the Andorra World Cup stop in mountain biking this summer — is setting a high bar for the Spanish grand tour.
“Getting on the podium would be amazing, but winning a grand tour is the hardest thing in the world for me,” Pidcock told De Telegraaf. “I know what it’s like to win a one-day race, but a grand tour? That’s a different story.”
Pidcock’s inner circle believes that he can develop into a grand tour rider, and despite a return to the single track this summer, he will be skipping the mountain bike worlds in September in what might have been a superstar clash on dirt with Mathieu van der Poel.
“It’s a shame, because I would have loved to race, especially to battle Mathieu, but I want to focus more on the road, and we’re building up our team,” he said. “So it makes sense for me to ride the Vuelta.”
Pidcock returned to road racing at the Arctic Race of Norway last week, winning his first road race since February and finishing second overall.
Road worlds clash with Pogačar
Pidcock won the MTB European championship this summer but will not race in the MTB worlds, opting for the Vuelta instead. (Photo: Piotr Staron/Getty Images)
Racing two grand tours in one season is part of Q36.5’s master plan for Pidcock, and the team is hoping for a Tour de France invite in 2026.
A strong showing at the Vuelta would go a long way convincing Tour de France owners ASO that the team is worthy of one of the coveted wild card invitations next summer.
Pidcock confirmed he will race for GC at the Spanish grand tour and not just save his legs for select days in a bid to win a stage.
“My time trial still needs to improve a lot, but maybe I can aim for a top 10,” he told De Telegraaf.
In May, Pidcock rode to 16th overall at the Giro d’Italia, not quite as good as his career best grand tour hit out with 13th in the 2023 Tour de France.
Pidcock also confirmed he will be racing in Rwanda for the 2025 UCI road worlds, setting up a rematch with Strade Bianche winner and defending world champion Tadej Pogačar.
Pidcock is a big-name confirmation for the first road world championships in Africa after several high-profile riders, including Van der Poel, Mads Pedersen, Wout van Aert and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot have confirmed they will not start.