"Mathieu is way ahead of me": Pidcock compares himself to Van der Poel and confirms his next goal

Tom Pidcock is just a few days away from facing the big goal of the second part of his 2025 season: fighting for a top 10 spot in the overall classification of the Vuelta a España. Although it was already assumed, the British rider has confirmed that he will lead his team in the Vuelta, which will prevent him from competing in the Mountain Bike World Championships in September in Crans-Montana (Switzerland).

Pidcock speaks clearly about his goal in La Vuelta and for the first time compares himself to Van der Poel

“The third week of the Vuelta coincides with the MTB World Championships, so I won't be able to be there. It's a shame, because I would have loved to be there, especially to face Mathieu. But I want to focus more on the road and our team is in a building phase. So it's logical that I will compete in the Vuelta”, acknowledged Pidcock, who has already won two XCO World Cup races this year and has been crowned European Champion in the discipline.

The duel with Mathieu van der Poel, one of the most iconic rivals of the British rider in XCO, cyclocross, and road, will be postponed. “I enjoy racing against him. We have similarities, but we are different athletes: I am more of a climber and lightweight; he is one of the great specialists in classics. He has won eight monuments and world championships in three disciplines, including what I consider the best title: the road title”, said Pidcock in a recent interview with De Telegraaf.

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“Mathieu may not be at his best in mountain bike, but if he sets his mind to something, you know he will achieve it”. “He is normally among the best in the world, and that makes me enjoy racing against him. Yes, maybe I have titles that he would want, but Mathieu surpasses me by far in major victories on the road. He has won nine monuments and world championships in three disciplines: cyclocross, gravel, and the best of all: road. That last title is one that I would love to achieve”.

Van der Poel, who returns to competition this Sunday in a Dutch criterium after his withdrawal from the Tour due to pneumonia, has not yet confirmed his presence in the MTB World Championships although he has been hinting for months that this could be one of his major goals this year.

For the British rider, the priority now is to progress in the Grand Tours: “In Spain, I want to be close to the best in the general classification. My time trial still needs to improve, but I can aim for the top 10. Winning a Grand Tour would be incredible, although it is the hardest thing in this sport”.

Pidcock, 26 years old, will seek to follow in the footsteps of Van der Poel and Wout van Aert, who have achieved great success past the age of 30. “Now I am entering that phase and I hope to reap the rewards in the big races”, he pointed out. His last performance, in the Arctic Race of Norway, resulted in a stage victory and second place in the general classification.

The Vuelta a España will start on August 23 in Turin and will be his second Grand Tour of 2025, after a Giro where he shone but missed out on a stage win and finished 16th overall.