Tom Pidcock fourth in stage 11 Giro d’Italia

Tom Pidcock rode to a fourth place in the challenging 11th stage of the Giro d’Italia. The profile was hard enough as it was but the long fight for the breakaway made it even harder. Xabier Mikel Azparren tried several times but these groups never got the green light.

A large group of 35 with Damien Howson and Mark Donovan did get a bit of a gap but it was never more than two minutes with UAE – Team Emirates at the front. Most of the group were caught while five remained up front. Damo and Mark set to help Tom Pidcock who had gotten into a bit of trouble on the Alpe san Pellegrino climb.

“I owe it to Damo and Mark that this race was still within reach for me,” Pidcock said after the finish. “I got dropped on the long climb and they got me back up. I wasn’t near my best on that long climb.”

After the last five riders of the breakaway were eventually caught, Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team helped set the pace because the finish would suit Pidcock’s strengths.

“It was one of these days we thought it could be a breakaway day but it ended up being a GC day making it very tough,” Pidcock analysed. “I asked Mark and Damo to pull and see what would come of it. That attack by Carapaz was pretty impressive to be honest. For me, I still take this race day by day.”

Damien Howson also gave his summary of the day:

“It was very fast at the start. I had never done that climb before but it was pretty much a 45-minute threshold effort and then some more after that. It was super demanding. I had a minute head start on the climb which enabled me to crest it at the front. Then it was about staying composed. Tom showed his class at the finish again so all-in all a good day out.”

The Giro d’Italia continues on Thursday with stage 12 between Modena and Viadana (Oglio-Po). The start is quite hilly but the last 70 of the 172 kilometers are completely flat.