Tom Pidcock has been on a journey. It's a journey that started before the Tour de France Grand Départ in Denmark but entered a crucial phase on the 13km up Alpe d'Huez last Thursday.
Ahead of the race, Pidcock told Cycling Weekly: "My dream in sport has always been to create a legacy, and that involves the biggest bike races. Over the next years we'll see what that means and what is possible."
Then, with humility, he added: "I think it's possible to finish on the podium at the Tour, but to win it... especially with Tadej Pogačar... he can ride a bike fast."
Sitting atop Alpe d'Huez after having become the youngest rider to win on the iconic climb, that vague and far-off wish seemed to have solidified into something more concrete. "I have bigger ambitions in this race in the future for sure after this experience," he said with authority.
Just over 48 hours earlier, Pidcock told Cycling Weekly that he'd "exceeded expectations" by being in the top 10 on GC (he'd fall out of it the following day). "To be in the top 10 on GC after we've already had a few tests - I'm quite pleased with that," he said. Expectations for the future appeared to have moved higher.
As CW went to press, and the race entered its final rest day, he was sitting ninth in the general classification.
Ineos Grenadiers deputy team principal Rod Ellingworth certainly felt Pidcock was being realistic in thinking about a future GC challenge, saying: "Tom's a big performer, and he loves the big stage... You can't say he can't win the Tour de France in the future, I think it's possible, of course it is. I say that off the back of our experience.
"At 22 you would have never have said Geraint [Thomas] was going to win the Tour. Things have changed now, though, because we've won it quite a few times and we know the routine a little bit more, but still you never know."
Denne historien er fra July 21, 2022-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.
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Denne historien er fra July 21, 2022-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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CLASSIC BIKE - JOHNNY BERRY
Johnny be good at making beautiful lightweight bikes
UK SCENE - WUNDERKIND HUDSON WINS YORKSHIRE CX
Newly crowned junior hill-climb champ shows his versatility by winning round seven on the mud
WATT WORKS FOR ME TADEJ POGAČAR
The man himself - subject of this special issue - explains the key performance changes behind his record-breaking year
11 WAYS TO POG-UP YOUR PLAN
Tadej Pocačar's performance is out of reach but you can adapt his training to raise your game. Chris Marshall-Bell consults the experts to find out how
Why do modern aero bikes look less aero?
Are today's aero bikes really faster, or is marketing just getting better? Joe Baker investigates...
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
An Olympic year is always special and the cycling season once again delivered a year of highs and lows, from Pogi's triple to Katie Archibald's pre-Olympic trip
MEET THE PARENTS
What made Tadej Pogačar the phenomenon he is today? Chris Marshall-Bell went to Slovenia to meet his mum and dad, Mirko and Marjeta
HALF MAN HALF GOAT
Tadej Pogačar may have had a phenomenal season, but has he done enough to cement his status as the greatest of all time? Chris Marshall-Bell weighs the arguments for and against
Lefevere cashes in his chips and leaves cycling management
The news that Patrick Lefevere will step down as Quick Step boss marks the end of an era, after 22 years in charge
Mathieu van der Poel weighs up skipping Tour de France
Dutchman hints at missing Tour in favour of mtb Worlds bid, reports Tom Thewlis from Dénia, Spain
