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Tom Pidcock gave Ineos Grenadiers an exceptional solo win at Strade Bianche after a series of attacks from 45km out, before a dramatic cat and mouse effort from the chaser group containing second-place Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) and third-place Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma).
Pidcock’s gap slimmed down to a mere six seconds within the final 10km, before his now infamous descending skills helped him open up a gap of 30 seconds into the Piazzo del Campo, which he ascended ahead of a chase group containing Madouas, Benoot, Rui Costa, Matej Mohoric (UAE Team Emirates) and Attila Valer (Jumbo-Visma)
He first attacked in pursuit of the day’s main three-man breakaway, containing Sven Erik Bystrøm (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Alessandro De Marchi (Team Jayco Alula) and Iván Romeo (Movistar), before riding clear and taking on the final 20km solo.
“It’s gonna take some sinking in. When I went that was completely not the plan,” Pidcock said after the finish. “I was just riding hard, I got a gap on the descent and I just carried on.”
“A few times they came too close and I thought I’d messed it up and gone so early,” he added. “The day was so fast all day and I thought if I get a gap and keep going it’s hard to bring back.”
More to follow…
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