Tom Pidcock has admitted he faces pressure from the Ineos Grenadiers to put greater focus on the Tour de France but the world and Olympic mountain bike champion is determined to keep enjoying multiple disciplines for a little while longer.
The 24-year-old is seen as a potential future Tour winner but though he took a famous stage victory on the Alpe d’Huez in 2022 and rode to 13th overall this year, the Yorkshireman is yet to concentrate solely on the road, and this year added the world mountain bike title to his Olympic crown.
Pidcock also won the cyclo-cross world title last year, and while his pursuit of multiple goals is delaying the day when he might be ready to chase Tour glory, he believes a varied approach is making him a better all-round rider.
“Maybe I need to specialise in one discipline if I want to win the Tour, but I know that you’ll get the best out of me when I’m happy and when I’m enjoying it,” Pidcock said on the Red Bull Just Ride podcast. “Which is why I love other disciplines…
“Of course I want to win the Tour de France one day but the patience and preparation is massive.
“There is the element (of pressure from the team) and I knew that when I committed long term to the team. I also want it, but in my own way. I want to achieve all the things I believe I can achieve…
“Right now, I’m not ready to win the Tour de France next year yet. There has to be more steps where I achieve things in different disciplines and achieving them makes me a better rider.”
Pidcock was speaking after the Mountain Bike World Cup event in Mont-Sainte-Anne, where he won the cross-country race to continue preparations for his Olympic title defence next summer.
Pidcock has also enjoyed success on the road this season, winning Strade Bianche in March before podium finishes at the Amstel Gold Race and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
But Ineos, a team who won the Tour seven times out of eight between 2012 and 2019, have found themselves left behind at the world’s biggest race in recent years as UAE Team Emirates and Jumbo-Visma have come to the fore, and the Grenadiers need a lift.
While Pidcock could perhaps emerge as a rival if he went all-in, he is reluctant to do so – the three-week slog of the Tour at odds with his instinctive style.
Looking back to his Alpe d’Huez win, he added: “You’re the centre of attention but only for a couple of hours – then you’re back to it with massage and food. Before you know it, you’re on the next stage the next day and there’s a new winner so it’s done.
“Compared to when I won the Olympics where you’re on the front of all the newspapers back home and people want interviews and chats that you could live off for months. With the Tour, it never stops and you have to be ready to race again.”
Pidcock plans to ride the Tour again next summer, but has to balance that with his ambitions in both the mountain bike race and the road race at the Paris Olympics, which begin only eight days after the Tour finishes in Nice.
The tight schedule is behind his decision to keep chasing mountain bike qualification points late into the year.
“By doing these races at the end of the year now, it will mean I don’t have to do the mountain bike races in the spring which will allow me better prep for the Tour,” he said.
“Then I’ll hopefully come out of the end of that in a better condition to cope with the start of the Olympics.”
:: Tom Pidcock is a Red Bull athlete. He was speaking on the latest Red Bull Just Ride podcast. Listen to the full episode here.
Olise receives maiden France call-up for Nations League fixtures
Michael Olise has been named in France's senior squad for the first time by Didier Deschamps for their upcoming Nations League fixtures next month.
Olise, who represented France at the Paris Olympics, is one of two players making the step up alongside Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone.
The 22-year-old impressed at the Games, helping Thierry Henry's side reach their first showpiece final since 1984, scoring twice and registering five assists.
Olise secured a reported £50.8million move to Bayern Munich prior to the Olympics after notching 16 goal involvements (10 goals and six assists) for Crystal Palace in the 2024-24 campaign.
"Michael did great things with Thierry Henry's Olympic team and he has moved up into a new category with his transfer to Bayern Munich," Deschamps told reporters.
"It is quite logical that he should now come with us. He still has progress to make but potentially he has a lot of quality."
There is also a return to the squad for Chelsea's Wesley Fofana, while Kylian Mbappe will feature on the international stage for the first time since his move to Real Madrid.
From their Euro 2024 squad, three players have been left out, including Olise's Bayern team-mate Kingsley Coman, as well as Benjamin Pavard and Adrien Rabiot.
France start their Nations League campaign against Italy on September 6 before facing Belgium three days later in a repeat of their last 16 encounter at Euro 2024.
France's squad in full:
Alphonse Areola (West Ham United), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba (Lens); Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich); Youssouf Fofana (AC Milan), N'Golo Kante (Al Ittihad), Manu Kone (Borussia Monchengladbach), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain); Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan).
Henry steps down as France Under-21's head coach following Paris Olympics
Thierry Henry has stepped down from his role as France Under-21's head coach after guiding his side to a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.
Henry, who was appointed last year on a contract until June 2025, said he was moving away from the position due to reasons personal to him.
The former Arsenal striker led Les Bleus to a first final at the Games since 1984 in Paris, but fell agonisngly short in the showpiece match against Spain.
Two goals in extra-time from Sergio Camello secured La Roja a second gold medal after France had come from 3-1 down to force extra-time at the Parc des Princes.
During his time in charge of the Olympic squad, Henry won eight of his 11 games in charge (two draws and one loss) while also scoring 31 goals in that time.
His side conceded 12 times during his tenure, with five of those coming in their gold medal match against Spain at the Games.
"I would like to thank the FFF and the president Philippe Diallo who offered me this incredible opportunity," Henry said in a statement.
"Winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games for my country will remain one of the proudest things I have ever had.
"I am incredibly grateful to the Federation, the players, the staff and the fans who have given me a magical experience."
Henry steps down as France Under-23's head coach following Paris Olympics
Thierry Henry has stepped down from his role as France's Under-23 head coach after guiding his side to a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.
Henry, who was appointed last year on a contract until June 2025, said he was moving away from the position due to reasons personal to him.
The former Arsenal striker led Les Bleus to a first final at the Games since 1984 in Paris, but fell agonisngly short in the showpiece match against Spain.
Two goals in extra-time from Sergio Camello secured La Roja a second gold medal after France had come from 3-1 down to force extra-time at the Parc des Princes.
During his time in charge of the Olympic squad, Henry won eight of his 11 games in charge (two draws and one loss) while also scoring 31 goals in that time.
His side conceded 12 times during his tenure, with five of those coming in their gold medal match to Spain at the Games.
"I would like to thank the FFF and the president Philippe Diallo who offered me this incredible opportunity," Henry said in a statement.
"Winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games for my country will remain one of the proudest things I have ever had.
"I am incredibly grateful to the Federation, the players, the staff and the fans who have given me a magical experience."
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