Tom Pidcock

As Junior National, European and World Cyclocross Champion, winner of Junior Paris-Roubaix and now Elite Circuit Race Champion, 18-year-old Tom Pidcock is the future of British bike racing. Cyclist catches him skiving off school…

- Jack Elton-Walters

 Cyclist: It’s Monday, Tom. Why aren’t you at school?

Tom Pidcock: Because I’m doing this. I’ve only got one lesson today, anyway. On some days I don’t have school until 11 so I go out training in the morning. Then I go to school, come home, eat, watch the telly and do the chaingang in the evening. Or in the morning I’ll just sleep in, then clean my bike, then do the chaingang. Cycling’s the priority now.

Cyc: Do you feel you miss out on other things that people your age get up to because you’re out on your bike?

TP: Yeah, probably. But I’m not the sort of person who likes going out drinking and stuff like that. I just do what I want to do – and I want to ride my bike.

Cyc: Which are you most passionate about, road or cyclocross?

TP: I think cyclocross. As a junior there’s more attention there: you go round a course and there are crowds all the way round, but in a road race you might be riding for two hours and only see 10 people. Cross feels a bit bigger at the moment. Obviously riding at the Tour de France would be different, but at my level…

Cyc: Do you think choosing cyclocross is influenced by the fact that you’ve had the most success in cross?