Tom Pidcock says Paris-Roubaix 'a completely different beast' after top-20 finish on debut

ByMatt Jones

Published 08/04/2024 at 20:04 GMT

Ineos Grenadier Tom Pidcock rolled over the line in 17th place in his first Paris-Roubaix, while Mathieu van der Poel took the title. The Briton, 24, had previously won the junior and under-23 versions of the event, but admits he found life much tougher as he stepped up to the senior event for the first time, as he revealed the issue that dogged him in the latter stages.

Tom Pidcock admitted that Paris-Roubaix is a "completely different beast" as he revealed he couldn't hold his handlebars by the time the race reached its conclusion.

The Ineos Grenadiers rider came in 17th place, as Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin–Deceuninck took the title for a second time in a row.

Famous for its formidable cobbles, the one-day event is not for the faint-hearted.

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And that meant Pidcock was content with coming in the top 20 as he stepped up to the senior race for the first time.

"It’s not bad," he said, per GCN. "It was pretty epic to be fair.

"I mean I couldn’t hold my handlebars at the end, that was my biggest problem."

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Pidcock, a cross-country Olympic champion in Tokyo three years ago, has previously won the junior and under-23 editions of Paris-Roubaix, so he was not a novice when it came to the course.

The 24-year-old, who had previously described the event as "the most special one-day race of the year", was declared fit just days after a nasty crash prior to the start of the Itzulia Basque Country race.

And he felt racing with the seniors was a much tougher prospect than what he has previously experienced.

"It’s a completely different beast I think, the speed was pretty incredible," he said.

"The race was split from the first sector really, in bits. It was just a day out, to be honest, there’s not really much more I could have done.

"At the end of the day, the weight comes into play and there’s only so much power I have."

But does completing the famous race bolster his chances of lifting the cobble trophy in future?

"I think it's more difficult now having done it," he admitted.

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