Tom Pidcock changes his plans after "coming close to death"

Tom Pidcock is forced to forgo the Ardennes classics he had listed as his main goal at the start of the season. The British cyclist will take part neither in the Amstel Gold Race, scheduled for Sunday, nor in Wednesday’s Fleche Wallonne.

The 26-year-old from the Pinarello-Q36.5 team had crashed disastrously during stage 5 of the Tour of Catalonia last March 27, ending up in a ravine, and thus decided to take more time for recovery. Pidcock himself had spoken of an accident in which he “came close to death.”

On social media he explained the change of plans: “The recovery went really well. That’s why I decided to resume competitions on Monday at the Tour of the Alps (April 20-24), with the goal of being at the start of Liège-Bastogne-Liège the following Sunday.”

Pidcock, who has had an excellent start to the season, culminating with a second place at Milan-San Remo behind Tadej Pogačar, already boasts an important palmarès in the Ardennes: he won the Amstel Gold Race in 2024, stood on the podium of the Walloon Arrow (3rd in 2025), and finished second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2023.

“The Ardennes Classics were my big goal at the beginning of this season,” admitted the Olympic mountain bike champion. “I’m glad I can still compete in at least one of them, even if I don’t get to the top of my condition.”