Tom Pidcock unsigned and on the transfer market for 2023
Ineos Grenadiers may need to act fast in order to end interest from rival teams.
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Tom Pidcock is unsigned and on the transfer market for 2023.
VeloNews has it on good authority that the recently crowned cyclocross world champion Pidcock is on the transfer market for the 2023 season.
The 22-year-old signed a deal with Ineos Grenadiers at the start of 2021 after graduating from the Team Wiggins Le Col squad but as things stand, and despite a string of incredible results — both on and off-road — the rider has not been offered a contract extension by his current squad.
VeloNews heard rumors of Pidcock’s potential availability earlier this week, just before putting together this transfer analysis story that looked at some of the top 200 riders available and on the market for next year.
At the time, both Pidcock’s agent and his team declined to comment when approached by VeloNews but overnight we have learned that teams and rival agents are aware of Pidcock’s situation and that at least one serious bid for his services is currently being constructed.
VeloNews understands that a leading American bike manufacturer is pushing hard to finance a potential move to a team they currently work with.
Ineos Grenadiers declined to comment if Pidcock was out of contract despite several requests from VeloNews.
Also read:
- Transfer analysis: 200 riders flood the market as Carapaz, Dumoulin, and Cavendish headline
- Why Tom Pidcock’s cyclocross world title will stand the test of time
- Tom Pidcock obliterates the field to win his first world cyclocross title
It’s difficult to assess how much Pidcock would fetch in the current market, but assuming Ineos remains hesitant on extending his services, then a potential bidding battle could drive up his price.
Riders such as Chris Froome and Tadej Pogačar are among the most highly paid riders in the men’s WorldTour, and despite Pidcock’s relative inexperience on the road – he’s only raced one grand tour to date – it’s likely that the British rider would be one of the most sought after riders on the market with a salary of between 3 million to 5 million euros per-season.
From a commercial aspect, Pidcock would be a bike manufacturer’s dream given his ability to flip between road, cyclocross, and mountain biking.
Pidcock’s all-around promise is well-known, but he had a breakthrough year in 2021 after moving into the WorldTour with Dave Brailsford’s squad.
He won Brabantse Pijl, finished second to Wout van Aert in the Amstel Gold Race, and made his grand tour debut at the Vuelta a España. He also finished sixth in the world road championships and capped his summer with a dominant ride to win the Olympic gold in the men’s cross-country mountain bike event in Tokyo.
A move away from Ineos Grenadiers is still far from certain at this point and it’s unclear if Ineos has a clause that provides them with an option of extending Pidcock’s current deal on favorable terms.
While rival teams might show interest, Ineos would remain in the driving seat at this point.
The British squad is one of the best-financed teams in the world, and they have a long track record of signing and developing homegrown talent.
Only a handful of rival WorldTour teams would be able to construct a bid matchable to Ineos’ finances, but he would be a marquee signing for any WorldTour squad with aspirations of building for the future.
Officially, riders cannot sign for rival teams before August 1, the UCI date for new signings to be officially registered, but the longer Ineos leave Pidcock on the market, the louder the rumors and speculation over his future will become.