Tom Pidcock needed to accept an eighth-place end in on the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Antwerp after an sickness and first-lap crash made for a tricky afternoon for the Briton.
The Ineos Grenadiers rider was in prime kind final weekend when he battled to victory within the earlier weekend’s World Cup spherical in Namur.
Nonetheless, earlier than the beginning in Antwerp, the 24-year-old revealed he had been affected by an sickness and was uncertain of his kind.
“I didn’t do any coaching all week, I’m drained,” mentioned the previous cyclocross world champion. “I’m uncertain the way it will go. I’m completely happy that I’m higher for the races developing.”
It was Pidcock’s third race of the cyclocross season, after two podium finishes, and the primary time he had come up towards Mathieu Van der Poel and Wout Van Aert in the identical occasion.
Nonetheless, the sand course in Antwerp was not his most popular venue for the primary conflict of the game’s ‘huge three’ riders.
He added: “They construct it up [the big-three clash, ed.] on this course, I feel I have to be extra nervous about the remainder,” Pidcock mentioned.
Pidcock’s pre-race ideas got here to fruition as within the first sand part away from the beginning, he collided with Joran Wyseure, ensuing within the Pidcock crashing and dropping useful time.
The day’s eventual winner, Van der Poel, additionally struggled with a mishap when missed his pedal off the beginning line, ensuing within the Dutch rider being swarmed by his rivals and getting caught behind a stricken Pidcock.
“I missed my begin a bit,” mentioned Van der Poel after taking his third victory on the bounce in dominant type.
“I clipped out of my pedal and bought caught within the chaos a bit, so I needed to take my time getting again to the entrance. I felt the legs had been good, I didn’t panic and took my time to get there.”
Van der Poel initially wound up in twenty eighth place on the course after the early race drama, whereas Pidcock needed to battle his approach again to the entrance from 18th.
Van der Poel made fast work of getting himself again into the main group, which was being pushed alongside by Eli Iserbyt.
Then, within the third lap, a mistake by Iserbyt in a sand part gave Van der Poel the chance to energy clear and pull out a commanding hole.
“I used to be behind Eli (Iserbyt), and he made a mistake and was struggling somewhat bit with the sand part. I attempted to get via there as easy as doable,” added Van der Poel.
“I instantly had a niche, and I hoped that behind me, they’d look a bit at one another as a result of there was various wind. I managed to maintain my tempo once more, and I felt good till the tip.”
In the meantime, Pidcock fell simply wanting bridging throughout to a chasing group containing Wout Van Aert, which ultimately pulled away.
Van Aert completed runner-up 29 seconds behind the comfy winner and Iserbyt third. Pidcock needed to accept an eighth-place end 1:14 behind Van der Poel.
The battle of the so-called “huge three” is because of recommence between Pidcock, Van der Poel and Wout Van Aert in three days’ time on the World Cup spherical in Gavere.