Pidcock shares power data after a tough gravel ride: ‘If I pedal that with my weight, it’s a lot’

Tom Pidcock narrowly missed out on a gravel stage win at the Tour de France. In Troyes he had to give way to Anthony Turgis. The INEOS Grenadiers rider said the race to victory had been preceded by a tough day. He also felt that this was reflected in his pedigree.

“It was tough,” said the INEOS Grenadiers rider. ITV Bikes“This morning I was down 120 pounds. So if I pedal at 280 watts for four and a half hours, that’s a lot.

Pidcock was in a small group in the final kilometres chasing Jasper Stuyven who had broken away. “I knew Stuyven was the strongest if he attacked. But when he went, I was in front. I was hoping the others behind would respond. It’s always difficult to finish. You also have to understand that everyone else in that group wants to win too, so you have to gamble a bit.

Derek Gee: “Unfortunately, it was a bit like my attacks in the Giro”
Eventually, Pidcock and his teammates rejoined Stuyven and the race became fast for victory on the streets of Troyes. Torges came out on top ahead of Pidcock and Derek Gee. The latter had mixed feelings afterwards. “Unfortunately, it looked like my attacks in the Giro,” Gee recalls of last year’s Giro, when he finished second no less than four times in the day’s results from early breakaways. “I was close again, but I didn’t win.”

However, Gee had a great day. “It was a special ride. We rode really hard, but in the end I just failed. I wanted to ride from the front from the start, because then you’re always in the right place. And it almost ended up working out well.