Jaén, Spain – Tom Pidcock experienced a frustrating sense of déjà-vu at Monday’s Clásica Jaén, finishing second despite a powerful late surge. The Pinarello-Q36.5 rider’s race was hampered by a costly wardrobe adjustment at a critical moment, mirroring a similar setback he faced just two days prior at the Vuelta a Murcia. Although Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) secured a commanding solo victory, Pidcock’s performance underscored his early-season form and the strength of his team, as he now sets his sights on the Ruta del Sol.
Wellens launched a daring attack 54 kilometers from the finish, establishing a significant lead that he maintained for the majority of the race. Pidcock, however, found himself battling to close the gap after a crucial split in the peloton occurred while he was attempting to remove a jacket. The incident proved pivotal, forcing him to expend considerable energy to rejoin the front of the race. This echoes a similar situation in Murcia, where a moment spent taking a gel cost him valuable ground and ultimately contributed to missing the decisive move.
“Because the break was taking so long to go, and we were coming close to the gravel, it was clear there wasn’t going to be a moment,” Pidcock explained, detailing the circumstances surrounding the split. “I needed to take off the clothes I started in, because it was super cold this morning. There was one big group that went, and I kind of went across, and I was trying to take off my jacket, and suddenly there were 30 guys up the road, and I missed it. It’s one of those things, a mistake, but luckily I could get back in the race.”
Despite the setback, Pidcock demonstrated resilience, aided by a strong team effort. Mark Donovan of Pinarello-Q36.5 initially joined Wellens in a breakaway, while the remaining team members worked to close the gap to the leading group. Soudal Quick-Step also played a key role in bringing Pidcock back into contention, allowing him to rejoin the chase on the first climb. Wellens ultimately claimed the victory with a remarkable 54km solo effort, a performance likened to those of Tadej Pogačar.
On the Mar de Olivos gravel climb, with just over 50 kilometers remaining, Wellens distanced Donovan, and Pidcock launched his own attack, bridging to the front group. He continued to push the pace, launching repeated accelerations in the finale, ultimately finding himself in a three-rider sprint for the win. However, the sprint was marred by controversy when Jan Christen, a teammate of Wellens, was later disqualified for deviating from his line, causing Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) to crash. Pidcock crossed the line in second place.
“When I missed this move in the start, to be honest, I thought my race was over at that point,” Pidcock admitted. “But Soudal-QuickStep made the gap close enough that I could go across on the first climb. Then we were back in the race, but Tim was already gone. My team was incredibly strong today, but Tim was stronger.”
Pidcock acknowledged the strength of the UAE Team Emirates squad, stating, “Fair play to UAE, said before start super diff to beat them so many strong guys, they did same again, with the numbers it’s super hard to do anything.”
This podium finish at the Clásica Jaén follows a similar result at the Vuelta a Murcia, marking a promising start to the season for Pidcock. He will continue his preparation for the Tour de France this week at the Vuelta a Andalucía – Ruta del Sol. “It’s not bad. Like I say, I made a mistake,” Pidcock said. “My team was super strong today, which I can be very happy about. I felt ok but the days in Murcia were not ideal with the cancellations and travelling around. It’s nice to get a quality race in the legs before Ruta.”
Despite the missed opportunity in Jaén, Pidcock remains optimistic, focusing on building momentum as the season progresses. The Ruta del Sol will provide another crucial test as he continues to refine his form and strategy in preparation for his primary goal: a strong performance at the Tour de France.
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