The final week of La Vuelta will be “all about defence” for Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) if he is to hang on to an “amazing” podium place, according to TNT Sports’ Matt Stephens.Pidcock has impressed over the first two weeks of racing in Spain, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, and went into Stage 15 on Sunday sitting third in the general classification.
The Englishman’s previous best GC finish at a Grand Tour was 13th at the 2023 Tour de France, a record he looks set to smash if he can hold strong in the final week.
However, Stephens told The Breakaway that Pidcock will have to be at his best if he is to hold off a pack of rivals below him, with catching Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) considered too lofty an ambition.
Pidcock sits 2’38″ behind Vingegaard, while behind him lurk Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) at 3’10″ and Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) at 3’30″.
Sunday’s undulating Stage 15 from Vegadeo to Monforte de Lemos precedes a rest day, before the peloton take on a big final week in La Vuelta.
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“He’s really battling. He’s going very, very deep every single day surrounded by riders with far more GC experience riding Grand Tours,” Stephens said of Pidcock.
“All credit to him for hanging on to this position, but it’s going to be hard for him these next few days because Stages 16, 17 and 20 are all mountaintop finishes and then the TT [time trial] as well.
“It’s all about defence for him. Stage 16 is an interesting finish that could suit him, far more punchy, not quite as long, that is where he might be able to take time.
“But the rest of the time it’s just focusing on a couple of riders behind him: Felix Gall but mostly Jai Hindley.
“[Hindley], in terms of trajectory in this race, is on the most upwards slope. He is taking time every single day and is vaulting up the GC.
“He looks to be a threat and is actually putting Vingegaard under pressure once or twice with those big accelerations.
“Tom will be focused on him and making sure today he gets through as rested as he can, it’s a punchy day but he’ll be in the bunch nice and safe.
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“Enjoy the rest day and hitting the final week as fresh as he can but with a specific objective of defending that third place.
“I think it’s too difficult for Tom to win this race but third would be an amazing performance.”
Pidcock pleased with ‘massive improvement’
The Brit finished eighth, five and 10 seconds behind Gall and Hindley, respectively, but afterwards spoke of his own improvement as a GC rider this year.
“I lost a bit more time, but I think I’m getting better and better at these longer efforts,” Pidcock said.
Pidcock feels ‘I’m getting better and better at longer efforts’ after holding on to podium place
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“Everyone struggles because it’s hard, but I think it’s the thing I can improve the most on and this year I have improved massively. Obviously, there is still a lot more [to come].”
Alexandre Sans Vega, the sports director for Q36.5, claimed he was unsurprised to see his rider challenging for a step on the podium.
However, he pointed to the close gaps between riders, with the likes of Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Matthew Riccitello (Israel-Premier Tech) and Sepp Kuss (Visma) also in the mix.
“We came here to give a good try to the GC,” said Sans Vega ahead of Stage 15.
“Of course we had our question marks. We knew we would be up there in the front but exactly which placing at this point, we didn’t know if it would be third or fifth or sixth.
“But we also knew whatever the placing it wouldn’t be with big gaps. We are happy. It’s not a surprise, but also it could be fifth, the gaps are really close.”