Tom Pidcock has never been shy about doing things his own way, and the past few days have offered a perfect example of why he remains one of the most compelling riders in the sport. Fresh off a stunning mountain bike world title, the British star is now shifting gears — literally — toward one of the biggest goals of his season: the UCI Road World Championships in Montréal.
A Second Rainbow Jersey, Won the Hard Way
Pidcock’s cross-country win at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole, Italy, wasn’t a straightforward affair. Starting from the fifth row of the grid due to a lack of MTB race days this season, he had to fight through the field lap by lap before finally taking control in the closing stages. He crossed the line alone to claim his second elite XCO world title, having first won the rainbow jersey back in 2023.
It was an emotional victory for the 27-year-old, who dedicated the win to the late Finlay Tarling, a fellow British rider and former Ineos Grenadiers teammate of Pidcock’s who died earlier this year. The tribute added real weight to what was already being viewed as one of the standout rides of the mountain bike season.
The result also underlined just how far ahead Pidcock currently is of his closest multi-discipline rival, Mathieu van der Poel. The Dutchman started from the same back-row position but never found the same rhythm, eventually finishing more than four and a half minutes down in 30th place. The mountain bike title remains the one rainbow jersey missing from Van der Poel’s otherwise stacked collection, and Val di Sole didn’t change that.
Turning the Page to the Road
With the MTB rainbow bands secured, Pidcock’s focus has now turned almost entirely to the road, where the real prize of his season awaits. The elite men’s road race at the UCI Road World Championships takes place in Montréal on September 27, and Pidcock is being widely tipped as one of the leading contenders — especially with defending-style favourite Tadej Pogačar dealing with injuries after a hard crash at the Vuelta a España.
To build race sharpness ahead of the Worlds, Pidcock will head to Canada for two WorldTour one-day races: the Grand Prix de Québec and the Grand Prix de Montréal, both serving as a natural lead-in to the championship course he’ll race just weeks later. It will be his first appearance on the road since finishing ninth overall at the Tour de France, a solid but not spectacular result that didn’t include a stage win.
Looking further ahead, Pidcock has indicated that 2027 will be a road-focused season, with a planned step back from mountain biking before an eventual return in 2028 as he builds toward a shot at a third consecutive Olympic title.
Why This Matters for the Sport
Pidcock’s ability to genuinely compete — and win — across mountain bike, cyclo-cross, and road racing is increasingly rare in an era of specialisation. His head-to-head battles with Van der Poel, who holds world titles on the road, in cyclo-cross, and in gravel, have become one of the most watched storylines in cycling. Whether that rivalry reignites on the road in Montréal remains to be seen, but with Pogačar’s form in doubt and Pidcock riding some of the best form of his career, the build-up to this year’s Worlds just got a lot more interesting.
