Are the stars already aligning for Tom Pidcock at Q36.5?
We take a look at what the Brit’s AlUla stage victory might tell us about his season to come
Tom Pidcock has had a brilliant start to life at Q36.5, winning stage 2 and picking up the leader’s jersey at the AlUla Tour.
His departure from Ineos Grenadiers was the biggest transfer story of the off-season and the Brit has struck an early blow against his old team – and the sceptics – with victory in Saudi Arabia.
Winning so emphatically, so soon after the transfer – this was just his second race day with the Swiss team – has gone some way to alleviating the pressure on him as their star signing.
By contrast, it took Ineos until February 3 last year to register a win, with Jhonatan Narváez winning the Ecuadorian national championships, and until February 22 to win in Europe, when Josh Tarling won the opening time trial at O Gran Camiño. Ineos registered only 14 victories on the road last season, their lowest-ever number.