Tom Pidcock wins XCO Mountain Bike World Championships ahead of Charlie Aldridge in British one-two
The British rider dedicated his victory to the late Finlay Tarling in his interview after the race
Tom Pidcock triumphed in the men's elite XCO mountain bike race at the World Championships in Val di Sole, reclaiming the rainbow jersey he last won in 2023. Despite participating in only one World Cup event this year, the British rider outperformed many of the world's best competitors to secure his second XCO title. Starting in 35th position on the grid, Pidcock rapidly climbed through the field and joined the leading group with his teammate Charlie Aldridge, Martín Vidaurre, Adrien Boichis, and Cole Punchard.
A mistake on an uphill section forced Pidcock to put a foot down, but he quickly recovered and reclaimed his place at the back of the five-rider group. With a powerful attack on an uphill section on the sixth lap, Pidcock moved away from the group, followed closely by Aldridge. The two British riders continued to push, dropping Vidaurre and eventually dropping Vidaurre altogether.
Aldridge attempted to close the gap, but Pidcock quickly closed the distance. As the final lap approached, Pidcock held a nine-second lead over Aldridge and won the race by a significant margin. The emotional Pidcock dedicated his victory to the late Finlay Tarling, who died in a crash during the Volta a Portugal. Aldridge secured a British one-two finish, while Punchard claimed third place.
The race also saw a disappointing performance from Mathieu van der Poel and an early exit for Alan Hatherly.
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