Tom Pidcock takes the victory in the Shimano Supercup Massi La Nucía

Tom Pidcock takes the victory in the Shimano Supercup Massi La Nucía. The British rider sweated to overcome a splendid Samuel Gaze who kept the pulse of the race until the final move. David Valero was in crescendo to finish third, while David Campos finished fifth after being one of the most outstanding riders of the day.
 

Tom Pidcock debuts with victory in a hard-fought race

La Nucía opened the curtain of the international XCO season under clouds that dyed the sky of the Alicante town black. David Campos took the lead after winning a start without incidents. The Spaniard led the baton with authority until Samuel Gaze replaced him, while riders like Sebastian Fini or Alberto Barroso hooked onto his wheel. 

However, David Campos showed off a daring cheekiness that earned him to overtake Gaze and return to the front of the race. The head was formed by the trio Campos-Gaze-Fini and the Spaniard's audacity helped them conquer a lead of several meters of dirt. Behind, Pidcock was quick to climb to the fourth position and try to close the gap with the escapees.

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Gaze assumed the responsibility of the lead before facing the tough cement climb. The section served to tense the test although the crushing pace of the New Zealander and the onslaughts of Fini were insufficient to dynamite the group. In fact, Pidcock and Cink took advantage of the climb to cut the distance and became part of a quintet of luxury head.

On his part, David Valero was riding 12 seconds behind along with Loret and Philipp. The Spaniard joined the interests of the two Frenchmen and ventured to hunt those who were ahead. 

The race entered a small truce; the head quintet ceased any movement, knowing that it was easy to sin of optimism and spend forces that might be needed later. Even so, Cink gave up a few meters, but the tenacity of the Czech found reward before cautious leaders and re-hooked shortly after. The rhythmic pace helped the arrival of other riders and the head came to be composed of a long line of cyclists.

The balance broke the delicate equilibrium when Gaze tightened his quadriceps and escaped. The New Zealander opened with great authority a gap of several seconds; Pidcock caught the threat of the attack and commanded the hunt. Gaze consolidated the ride and put 9 seconds of distance with Pidcock and Campos -the only one who resisted the turn of the British rider's cranks- at the end of the third lap.

What at some point was a compact group was now a dismembered peloton. Gaze put all the effort to maintain the income; Pidcock kept the pulse with the uncomfortable shadow of David Campos at his wake; and behind Marotte, Valero, Fini and Brandl.

The Rider from Leeds spurred on, got rid of Campos and caught Gaze. The head was then formed by the pair while Valero moved to the sixth position and started the pursuit to Campos' solid third place. The Spaniard -in company of Fini- swallowed the cushion of his compatriot and reached him at the end of the fourth lap.

The duo Gaze-Pidcock continued to command the race with an iron leg with half a minute margin. The British rider suffered behind a Gaze in splendid condition, although the attention was focused on the Rider when he assumed the lead. Pidcock's cards did not intimidate a Gaze who today had a prodigious hand.

The race entered an exhausting phase: the final kilometers were consumed at a speed that at this point could already take a toll on any leg. The head duel rivaled in prominence with the fierce battle for the third place between Campos-Valero-Fini.

The arrival of the ascent was definitive for Fini, unable to sustain the Spanish shakes of Valero and Campos. Ahead, Pidcock broke the technical tie with an unmatched pedal stroke that frustrated Gaze's good feelings. The explosiveness of the rainbow translated into a gap of 15 seconds, an insufficient income to speculate but enough to caress the victory.

The end without plot twists offered the finish line alone for Pidcock to certify the victory in the Shimano Supercup Massi La Nucía. The British seals the first victory of the year and sends a warning to sailors for a season marked by the Paris Olympic Games. Sam Gaze finished second after completing a great race in which for a good part he held the leading voice and David Valero took the third place.

Shimano Super Cup Massi de La Nucía 2024 – Elite Men

1. Tom Pidcock 1h 14' 05"
2. Samuel Gaze  1h 14' 31"
3. David Valero  1h 14' 52"
4. Sebastian Fini 1h 15' 02"
5. David Campos 1h 15' 08"
6. Maxime Marotte 1h 15' 09"
7. Maximilian Brandl 1h 15' 53"
8. Antoine Philipp 1h 16' 20"
9. Loan Cheneval 1h 16" 20"
10. Maxime Loret 1h 16' 37"