'It's not going to be easy' - Tom Pidcock to race next year's Tour de France and Paris 2024

Updated 20/03/2024 at 15:29 GMT

Tom Pidcock has his eyes set on a busy summer in 2024 as he intends on competing in next summer's Tour de France and in the cross-country mountain bike event at Paris 2024. The 24-year-old admits it's "not going to be easy" to do so, however, as there are just eight days separating the final stage of the Tour and the race in Paris. Pidcock is the defending Olympic champion in cross-country.

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Tom Pidcock wants to ride both the Tour de France and the cross-country mountain bike event at Paris 2024 next year but admits “it’s not going to be easy”.

In what is shaping up to be an extremely busy summer for the 24-year-old, Pidcock wants to take part in both events despite just eight days separating the final stage of the Tour and the race in Paris.

Pidcock is the defending Olympic champion in cross-country mountain biking after triumphing in Tokyo in 2021.

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“Next year, I want to go and defend my title at the Olympics, but I also need as many points as I can get,” Pidcock told Red Bull’s Just Ride podcast.

“But also I’ve got to balance that with the team, and they need me or want me at the Tour, so I have to be there and at my best at the Tour, and I have eight days between the end of the Tour and the Olympics.

“It’s going to be on the limit, it’s not going to be easy, but I’m giving myself the best chance.”

Pidcock hopes the points gained in the final round of racing at the MTB World Cup in Canada helps better prepare him for next summer’s schedule.

He continued: “Doing these races now at the end of this year sets me up better for next year, because it means that I don’t have to go to the mountain bike races in the spring, which means I’ll have a longer prep for the Tour, which means hopefully I should come out of the Tour in a better condition and cope with it better, meaning that in eight days I can be ready.”

But Pidcock has reaffirmed that his priority remains road racing and giving his best for his team Ineos Grenadiers.

“I’m a road rider, but I’m better at cross and mountain biking,” he joked.

“I ride for a road team, so the priority for them - and also me, to be honest - is the road.

“With mountain biking, for example in the spring when I do the World Cups in April, it’s just nice to get away from the road for a bit. Mountain bike is just a bit more of a relaxed atmosphere. It’s where I can go and just enjoy riding.”

The Tour de France next year takes place from Saturday June 29 to Sunday July 21, and the mountain bike event begins on July 28-29.

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