Tom Pidcock drops out of the Tour of Switzerland after suffering a viral infection in Sierra Nevada

Tom Pidcock will not be at the start of the 2026 Tour de Switzerland. The British rider from Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team has had to modify his schedule after suffering a viral infection during the altitude training camp he was conducting in Sierra Nevada, a setback that forces the double Olympic champion in MTB to rethink the final weeks of preparation before the Tour de France.

Tom Pidcock withdraws from the Tour de Switzerland due to a viral infection and changes his preparation for the Tour de France

Pidcock's absence represents one of the most significant last-minute changes in the participant list for the Swiss round, where he was expected to compete against riders like Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel in his last major competitive test before the Grande Boucle.

The team itself confirmed on Tuesday that the decision was made after the British rider had to partially interrupt his altitude training. In the official statement, the team explained:

“After losing a few days of training during the team's altitude camp in Sierra Nevada due to a mild viral infection, Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team has decided to modify Tom Pidcock's competition schedule for June to allow him more time for recovery and training.”

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The news comes at a delicate moment in the season for the British rider. Since his second place in Eschborn-Frankfurt on May 1, he has hardly competed on the road, although he did put on a show at the XCO World Cup in Nové Město, where he achieved a convincing victory that confirmed his great form on the mountain bike.

The Andorra MoraBanc Classic, a possible alternative

The team has opted to remove the Tour de Switzerland from its program and replace it, as long as recovery progresses favorably, with the Andorra MoraBanc Classic on June 21.

Pidcock has already returned to Andorra, where he will continue his preparation on the roads he knows perfectly and where he hopes to make up for lost time during his illness.

The Swiss squad also wanted to convey reassurance regarding the rider's condition:

“Although he is disappointed to miss the team's home race, Tom has returned to Andorra, where he will continue training and hopes to compete soon in a race around the Andorran mountains.”

The Tour de France remains the main objective

For now, there is no excessive concern from Pinarello Q36.5 regarding the Tour de France, which will start on July 4 in Barcelona with a team time trial. In fact, the statement does not mention any doubts about his presence in the French round.

Pidcock will have just over two weeks to fully recover his sensations before facing what will be his return to the Tour for the first time since 2024. The French race also represents a particularly important event for the Swiss structure, which will count on the British rider as one of its main assets.

The 26-year-old cyclist arrives after achieving the best result of his career in a grand tour in 2025, with a final third place in the Vuelta a España. However, he had recently downplayed the pressure on his goals in the Tour, stating that his priority would be to enjoy the race and look for stage opportunities rather than focusing on the general classification.

Although the infection seems mild and the team conveys optimism, the withdrawal from the Tour de Switzerland represents an unexpected setback for one of the most versatile riders in the peloton and deprives him of competing this week against several of his major rivals before the most important event of the season.