European Championships, Munich (GER)
In an age of Specialists, Tom Pidcock continues to defy categorization. Not only did he shine bright with two wins early in the World Cup mountain bike XC season, but between then and the European XC championships he also won the legendary Alpe d’Huez stage of the Tour de France. But all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, or so they say, and for the Ineos Grenadier rider, self described as “born to ride a mountain bike”, the Continental XC championships were a welcome return to the dirt as well as a form test leading up to the UCI MTB World Championships.

From the start, the SR SUNTOUR supported rider quickly proved that he hadn’t lost his edge in his time away from the dirt. On lap four of the fairly non technical eight lap event held in Munich, Pidcock surged to the lead aboard his AXON34 WERX EQ hard tail, and never looked back, sealing the first ever British European XC title.

UCI MTB World Championships, Les Gets (FRA)
Pidcock’s time away from MTB, though, saw him reliving shades of Albstadt ’21 as he lined up in the 7th row with plate number 53, but he quickly rode into contention on his unbranded AXON34 WERX EQ/EDGE equipped duallie, even seizing the lead at times. But an unfortunate flat on the penultimate lap saw him cede 32 seconds to the leaders before he rolled into the tech zone for a new wheel. With little time to find his way back into contention, the determined Brit still gave it his best shot, sprinting out of the pits and into the steepest climb of the track. But the damage was just too much, and Pidcock was forced to settle for fourth, just one spot off the podium.

The XCO junior rider Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) rode faster than everybody else at the most important race of the year and made himself world champion!