Pidcock wins again before the Tour and leaves behind some difficult weeks

Tom Pidcock will arrive at the Tour de France with a victory under his belt. The British rider from Pinarello-Q36.5 triumphed this Sunday in the Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica, one of the last major preparation races before the Grande Boucle, confirming that he has put behind the physical difficulties that marked much of the last few weeks.

Tom Pidcock overcomes doubts and wins in Andorra in his last test before the Tour de France

The rider based in Andorra was the strongest in the final ascent to the Coll de la Botella (11.4 km at 6.9%), where he resolved a duel among some of the best climbers present in the race in his favor. Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek), one of the ambassadors of the event, launched the first attack in the last few hundred meters, but Pidcock responded easily to surpass him and cross the finish line solo. Sepp Kuss (Visma Lease a Bike) completed the podium.

The victory holds special significance for the Briton as it comes after a particularly challenging period. Pidcock was supposed to compete this week in the Tour de Switzerland, where a new confrontation with Tadej Pogačar was expected, but a viral infection suffered during a training camp in Sierra Nevada forced a change of plans and a focus on recovery.

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“I had a tough few weeks, but it’s nice to start coming out the other side”, he explained after the finish. “It’s always a tough time of year, we’re pushing everything to the limit and this time it took its toll in training. I needed to take a step forward and it’s nice to see that part of that work is paying off”.

The Briton's season has been anything but linear. After a brilliant start to the year, where he even contested the victory against Tadej Pogačar in Milan-San Remo, a severe crash in the Volta a Catalunya caused a ligament injury in his knee that completely disrupted his schedule.

Even so, he managed to return earlier than expected to win a stage in the Tour of the Alps and finish second in Eschborn-Frankfurt. At the same time, he continued to balance road and mountain biking, a combination that yielded results again when he won the XCO World Cup in Nové Město and finished second in the Short Track.

That dual preparation between road and MTB has been one of the keys to his season. Before the race, he acknowledged that the last few weeks had not been easy, partly due to the demands of combining both competitive programs while trying to make up for lost time after the injury.

The Andorran race, held over a course of 125 kilometers with demanding climbs such as the Port d’Envalira, the Coll d’Ordino, or Pradines before the final ascent to the Coll de la Botella, was decided among a small group of six riders.

Pidcock was accompanied by his teammate Chris Harper, as well as Sepp Kuss, Carlos Verona, Ben Tulett, and Simon Carr. The Australian played a crucial role in the decisive kilometers. When Kuss attacked three kilometers from the finish, Harper initially responded to the move and then returned to close the gap and bring Pidcock back to the front of the race.

Already in the last kilometer, Harper again increased the pace and set the stage for his leader's final attack.

“It wasn’t an easy victory, we had to fight hard for it. The whole team was very strong and fully committed”, Pidcock explained. “Being able to finish the job for them is something very special. Everyone did their part throughout the day and that makes the victory even more satisfying”.

A message before the Tour

Beyond the result, the victory is a positive sign for one of the most watched riders ahead of the upcoming Tour de France. After missing the Tour of Switzerland due to illness and a spring marked by the injury suffered in Catalunya, Pidcock needed a convincing performance to clear doubts about his form.

He found it precisely in Andorra, where he lives much of the year and where he managed to win the race that many resident riders use as a final competitive rehearsal before the Grande Boucle.

Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica 2026 Results

1. Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) – 3:42:25
2. Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek) +2”
3. Sepp Kuss (Visma | Lease a Bike) +10”
4. Chris Harper (Pinarello-Q36.5) +10”
5. Ben Tulett (Visma | Lease a Bike) +13”