'It was a lot closer, but not close enough' - Tom Pidcock challenges Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche

SIENA ITALY MARCH 08 LR Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team EmiratesXRG Lewis Askey of The United Kingdom and Team Groupama FDJ and Tom Pidcock of The United Kingdom and Q365 Pro Cycling Team compete in the breakaway while fans cheer during the 19th Strade Bianche 2025 Mens Elite a 213km one day race from Siena to Siena 320m UCIWT on March 08 2025 in Siena Italy Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images
Tom Pidcock leads Tadej Pogacar during Strade Bianche (Image credit: Getty Images)

A rider's air disappointment on the podium is always a sign of how much they believed they could win a race. Tom Pidcock struggled to raise a smile in Siena's Piazza del Campo, knowing that he took the race to Tadej Pogačar and was his equal for 50 kilometres. Second place, the best of the rest, was a huge result but Pidcock had hoped for more.

"I have a bittersweet feeling now. It was pretty close in the end, you know, a lot closer than in previous attempts to beat Tadej. It was a lot closer, but not close enough," Pidcock explained post race when asked by Cyclingnews about his performance.

Stephen Farrand
Head of News

Stephen is one of the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.

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