Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) said it was a “shame” to have to “sacrifice the stage” and protect his podium place at La Vuelta after taking second in Wednesday’s summit finish on the Alta de El Morredero.The Englishman was part of a group of GC contenders battling it out in the gruelling Stage 17 climax, where Giulio Pellizzari’s (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) attack with 3.5km to go proved decisive as the young Italian claimed his first Grand Tour stage win.
Pidcock, who is looking to earn his first podium finish at a Grand Tour, sprinted over the line ahead of Pellizzari’s team-mate Jai Hindley to take second place and gain some valuable seconds over the Australian, who sits fourth in the GC standings.
However, Pidcock cut a frustrated figure after the race when facing the cameras.
“That’s the sacrifice I guess, when you’re riding for the podium. I sacrificed the stage,” Pidcock said.
“That could have been really nice. A bit of a shame really. But we’re racing for the podium, that’s the main goal, so we have to make decisions, I guess.”
Pidcock will be ‘peeved’ at not winning stage, says Blythe – ‘Loves putting his hands in the air’
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Race leader Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) gained two seconds on Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) as the red jersey battle failed to ignite.
With only a few days of racing left, Pidcock sits third in the GC standings, 2’28″ behind Vingegaard, while Hindley is breathing down his neck on 3’04″.
Pellizzari’s win saw him jump into fifth at 3’51″, with Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) dropping more than half a minute as he fell to 4’57″ on a difficult day.
Pidcock ‘will be peeved’
Considering what is at stake with just four stages remaining, The Breakaway team could both understand Pidcock’s frustration and see the sense in how he played his cards.
“You could see by his body language, he’s in a lofty position at third overall, but he’s also disappointed because that was a stage win that slipped through his fingers,” said Matt Stephens.
“But I don’t think he could have done any more. The advantage there was with Bora-Hansgrohe because they had numbers, they had the legs, they had the intellect, and they seized the opportunity.
“So, within that, to get second place and put actual time, not just time bonus time, in between the two riders that he fears the most, it’s a good day. But you can sense he wanted that win.”
Vingegaard ‘didn’t feel 100%’ as he ‘survived’ brutal climb – ‘Not losing time is a good day’
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It looks like a straight shoot-out between Vingegaard and Almeida for the red jersey, and between Pidcock and Hindley for the final podium place.
But Adam Blythe questioned whether Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe might have made an error in allowing Pellizzari to pull clear instead of helping Hindley get the edge over his rival.
“Jai is in that position as well – racing for the podium,” said Blythe.
“I’m not taking anything from what Pellizzari did. For him, and the team, and Jai, it’s great that they won the stage.
“But you will never know what would’ve happened if Jai was able to go for the stage, go on the attack, to put the little digs into Tom. He might have been able to crack him sooner, we just don’t know.
“It’s a fantastic result. Tom will be happy but disappointed because he’s not got his hands up in the air yet. Tom’s a bike racer, he loves putting his hands in the air. He’ll be slightly peeved.”
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