Former world champion Tom Pidcock will sit out this winter’s cyclocross season to prepare for his first road race with his new team, Q36.5 Pro Cycling.
At the beginning of November, Pidcock did not rule out the possibility of confirming game numbers in December and January, but it has now been confirmed that he will not play. Meanwhile, former world champion Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) will compete in at least 6 races, and the last member of the “Big Three” Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) will compete in 11 races.
Pidcock signed a Q36.5 contract earlier this month after leaving Ineos Grenadiers by mutual consent. In order for him to be fully prepared for his first outing in Switzerland, he won’t get muddy over Christmas.
Writing on Instagram, Pidcock confirmed he has not given up the sport for good and will return to competition later next year. Pidcock competed eight times last season, winning once.
“On Sunday I watched my first cyclocross race of the season and it reminded me that I should probably officially mention that I won’t be racing cyclocross this year,” Pidcock wrote. “It’s been a lot of changes and I want to make sure I have time to adjust to the new environment and get to know my new team and teammates better. But as of now, my plan is to get back on the court next year.”
His announcement also means that next year’s world championships will surely only feature Van der Poel, one of the “big three” of cyclocross. The Dutchman will start his season on Sunday in preparation for the World Championships on February 2 in Levan, France.
Van Aert’s schedule was cut short so that he could race for fitness purposes as he recovers from a serious knee injury after falling during the Vuelta a España in the summer. He participated in CX competition nine times last season.
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The Belgian will face Van der Poel for the first time on December 23 in Moor, Belgium, before concluding his short run against his long-time rival in Maasmechelen on January 25.
“Cross country racing is still my first love, which is why I love returning to it every winter,” Van Aert said. “This winter we have opted for a condensed schedule of six races, which suits my training plan perfectly. It will be a cross-country season that I do purely for the love of the sport, but also with a healthy dose of ambition.
“After crashing at the Vuelta and a knee injury, I had to make the most of the time I had to prepare for the road season. A few cyclocross races fit the program perfectly, but the schedule was deliberately more limited than in previous years.”
In addition to the matches in Mohr and Maasmechelen, van Aert will also take part in matches in Loanhout, Gullegem, Dendermonde and Benidorm. His reduced schedule means he will face Van der Poel only four times this season, including two rounds of the UCI World Cup.
Mathieu van der Poel vs Wout van Aert 2024/25 Cross Country Schedule
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Mathieu van der Poel vs Wout van Aert 2024/25 Cross Country Schedule
