Bobby & Jens podcast: Tom Pidcock explains his refreshing strategy for the classics
One of the youngest and smallest riders in the peloton talks about his 'no fear' approach to racing the big boys in Belgium.
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You may be thinking that the surest sign of spring’s arrival is the onset of races like Gent-Wevelgem and Volta a Catalunya, but here at VeloNews we’ve created a new marker. It’s when Jens Voigt and Bobby Julich roll into the recording studio after a sweaty morning session planting vegetables in the family garden.
That’s where we found our hosts this week as they took a break from an exciting several weeks of racing that featured eye-opening results for Tom Pidcock, the most exciting rider to come out of Britain in several years. The 22-year-old former winner of Paris-Roubaix as a junior and a U23 joins the podcast in the heart of his first World Tour classics campaign.
In this week’s conversation, Pidcock covers a wide range of topics, from the ethics of drafting off team cars to riding the cobbles as a sub-60-kg lightweight to the challenges of training during a pandemic. He also talks at length with Bobby and Jens about his rare multi-discipline success in road, time trial, and cyclocross. You’ll learn how he manages the diverse physical, mental, and gear demands of switching between the three, and why it doesn’t phase him to shift from carrying his cross bike uphill in one race to tucking into an aero position—sometimes just weeks apart.
More good reading:
- Tom Pidcock: “I want to be world champion in all three disciplines”
- Tom Pidcock leads classic renaissance at Ineos Grenadiers
- Who is Tom Pidcock?
The episode also features analysis from a busy week of racing across Europe, the guys’ thoughts on Everesting, a challenge to e-bike makers, and a hard look at rider safety issues after yet another finish line accident that resulted in broken bones.
And last but not least, tune in for the winner of this week’s “Shut Up, Legs!” winner, and your chance to vote on next week’s contenders.
“Bobby & Jens” is a new podcast from VeloNews starring former pros Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt, and featuring conversations with top athletes, coaches, emerging stars, and other newsmakers from the wide world of cycling. A new episode drops every Friday. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.
Send your questions and “Shut Up, Legs!” votes to BobbyandJens@VeloNews.com or @bobbyandjens.