Cycling seems like a rather straightforward matter. The rider with the strongest legs wins, at least that is what it looks like from the outside.
Don’t misunderstand me, you certainly need the legs to win but you also need so much more. A team that stands behind you, a little bit of luck, sensible tactics and the mental strength to go through with it.
Depending on the race you don’t need everything in equal measure but if it’s approaching a monument – one of the most prestigious races a road cyclist can win – you need all five. Strade Bianche isn’t quite a monument yet, but enough people – riders, fans and media alike – give it the same measure of respect despite its young history.
Winning a monument makes you unforgettable in cycling. To win several makes you a legend. To win all five of the traditional monuments in men‘s cycling (Milano-San Remo, Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris-Roubaix, Líege-Bastogne-Líege, Giro di Lombardia) makes you immortal. Only three riders have ever managed it and that happened in an era when cycling was much less specialised then it is currently.
I repeat that Strade Bianche isn’t a monument yet, but the white gravel race probably has a very special place in the heart of off-road connoisseur, cyclocross world champion and mountain bike Olympic gold medalist Tom Pidcock.
Last year’s race proved you can win with a long 50 km solo attack on Siena’s white roads. But that was Tadej Pogačar – cycling wunderkind and generational talent. Both those epithets can be applied to Pidcock as well, but Pogačar has proven himself to be on a level of his own. Be it Grand Tours or monuments; very few can manage to compare to him or even beat him.
It might be unfair to compare since Pidcock‘s greatest successes have been off-road so far and Pogačar only competes on the road. And while that might not bother him, some critics have pointed out that despite his talent, his only victory in the classics so far has been Brabantsje Pijl. Good but not that special.
Many of those critics will probably now quiet down. Some might unkindly point out that some favourites didn’t take part in the race or weren’t in top form. Most will probably compare it to Pogačar‘s win last year, after all it was won in a similar style: long breakaway attempt.
Physically Pogačar‘s win was incredibly impressive. I didn’t doubt his victory for a second last year after he put time in the peloton, which is crazy in itself.
But let’s look at the race.
The decisive move of the race was not initiated by Pidcock himself but by Alberto Bettiol from team EF on the gravel sector Monte Santa Marie. It’s one of the hardest in the race but most years too far from the finish to be wholly decisive in the outcome of the race. It usually just thins the peloton and gets rid of those who won’t be able to compete that day.
Most of the race favorites were surprised by the move and out of position. Pidcock had to dig deep to close the gap. At the time it was questionable if the energy investment was worth it. If the peloton caught back up with them it would have been wasted.
But a rider has to take risks to win. Taking risks however is a good deal easier if you know your teammates have your back.
Pidcock’s team Ineos and EF closed the road. A tactic where the riders of a team take to the front and make it impossible for other riders to pass by taking as much space as possible and slowing down. A questionable tactic on a sportsmanship level, but very effective and very commonly used.
The three man breakaway of Bettiol, Pidcock and Bagioli soon put a lot of space between themselves and the chasers.
However, Pidcock quickly decided it was not enough for him and attacked on the downhill making use of his famous descending skills attempting to close the gap to the doomed early race breakaway.
And it was the correct call. Valter – who also has an off-road background and the accompanying bike handling skills- managed to escape team Ineos in the downhill and bridged the gap to Bettiol. Those two were quickly caught by what remained of the peloton, which by that stage wasn’t much. Within 5 km it had been reduced to only 20 riders due to the attacks.
Pidcock had a minute on them with 45 km to go and to be quite honest with you, I doubted his possibility to win. Rightly so because he lost 30 seconds in 5 kilometers. However I tell you who didn’t doubt: Pidcock himself. His teammates were doing their best to hinder the chase and most of the time was won back by strong attacks from race favorites Mathieu van der Poel and Pello Bilbao.
However, luck is a very important factor and today simply wasn’t van der Poel’s day, who is an unstoppable force himself if the stars align correctly. He had to let go. The misfortune of one is the advantage of another. Former breakaway companion and then avid chaser Bettiol had a bad crash and held the group up. Writing this I currently don’t know his status but hope he’s well and will recover soon.
Pidcock himself caught the early breakaway and had some companions again – albeit for a few kilometres – which is so important because riding in a group is always easier than riding alone.
However at this point there’s still 33 kilometers to the finish and the chasers are only 22 seconds behind. Which might as well be nothing. 20 kilometers from the finish and Pidcock is alone again with only 18 seconds on the chase. A chase that accounts for some very notable names. A former world champion, a monument winner, a rider who won just this race in 2018. It’s simply full of quality riders.
The correct word for Pidcock in this situation might be doomed.
Several individual attacks take place in the next 10 kilometers which reduce the gap to just 10 seconds. The chasers can see him. This is normally the point were the rider in the lead looks behind and utters some choice expletives. There’s also a saying in cycling: “If you look behind you’ve already lost”.
Pidcock didn’t turn around.
One team among the chasers was in a very favourable position. Jumbo Visma had not one but two riders in the group. Tiesj Benoot who won just last weekend and Attila Valter who looked incredibly strong during the whole race.
Cycling is a team sport and cycling can be quite cruel. Of course you can let both of them try for the win or you give the order that one rider sacrifices his chances for the other. The latter is the sensible strategy in such situations.
We do not know what the team car’s orders were but no Jumbo rider committed to fully close the gap, ride tempo and cover attacks. And no other team would do Jumbo’s job. Why should they sacrifice their chances only to get sixth?
The end result was basic game theory by the other teams. Rather we all lose out on the the win than sacrifice ourselves to close the gap to Pidcock. Despite the potential for all riders to win this race the group didn’t have a common goal.
And so the gap which should on paper decrease, increased again up to 25 seconds 3 kilometers from the line.
In the end Pidcock could even take his time and enjoy his victory on the line. So safe was his victory, so far behind was the chase.
Pogačar’s win was physically very impressive but the mental strength it took for Pidcock to go on and take the win is incredible and I find it just as impressive.
Tom Pidcock had some of the stronger legs today. Anyone who attempts a breakaway 50 kilometers from the finish has to be in very fine form. Did he have the strongest? Who knows, Attila Valter looked superb in this race. But in the end the question doesn’t matter because Tom Pidcock won the race and Valter came fifth.
Pidcock had it all today. The legs, the team support, the luck not to get a puncture, the tactical nous to cover the correct attack and keep going. As well as the mental strength to never consider defeat.
And the last thing might just be one of the most impressive things I’ve seen in some time.
Featured image courtesy of Marco BERTORELLO / AFP via Getty Images
