"It could be a long absence": Pidcock's return is still up in the air

Tom Pidcock had kicked off the spring of 2026 at one of the best moments of his career. His second place in the Milan-San Remo, only surpassed by Tadej Pogacar, confirmed his definitive leap as a contender in the major classics. However, that momentum came to a sudden halt days later at the Volta a Catalunya, where he suffered a fall that he himself described as “terrifying” and which completely affected his schedule.

Total uncertainty with Pidcock, his return to competition still has no date

That accident, after falling down a ravine, resulted in damage to his right knee and ligament injury. Although he managed to finish the stage, he did not start the next day, and his team later confirmed the severity of the injuries, leaving his continuation in the spring up in the air.

Two weeks after the incident, the situation remains open. According to the latest information, Pidcock's recovery is progressing, but there is no specific date for his return to competition.

The most recent statements come from the Paris-Roubaix, where his long-time coach, Kurt Bogaerts, avoided setting any timeline. In statements collected by Cyclingnews, he was clear on the matter: “We do not have a deadline. We have not set a return to competition yet.”

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The Belgian coach also did not want to rule out a more complex scenario depending on the evolution of the injury:
“It could be a long absence, yes. It is difficult to assess. First, we need to solve it, and then we can make a plan.”

Despite the caution, the team has not closed the door to an immediate return. Pidcock's original calendar included the block of Ardennes classics, with expected participation in the Amstel Gold Race, La Fleche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, in addition to his participation in the Brabantse Pijl as a preliminary race.

However, just a few days before that start, his presence remains unconfirmed. Bogaerts insisted on the same idea when directly asked about these events: “There is no deadline.”

This leaves a completely open situation that should be resolved in a matter of days, especially with the Brabantse Pijl marked on the calendar as the first possible competitive test.

The uncertainty comes at a particularly delicate moment for the Briton. His performance in San Remo had reinforced his candidacy in one-day races, and his progression seemed to align with the big names in the peloton in these types of scenarios.

The fall in Catalunya not only interrupted that dynamic but has put on pause one of the key blocks of his season. Now, everything will depend on how the knee evolves in the coming days and whether the team considers he can compete without risks.