Tom Pidcock has said he is "excited for what's to come" after he won his first ever professional stage race on Saturday, in his first race for his new team.
In Q36.5 colours for the first time, the 25-year-old won stages two and four of the AlUla Tour and then successfully defended his lead on the final stage to secure the green jersey.
It was a perfect start for Pidcock after he moved from Ineos Grenadiers in the off-season. After five wins in four years with the British team, he has now won three times in just five race days this season. It might have been a 2.1-ranked race, but it is an important step in his career.
"Someone told me the expression that fits is 'a rising tide lifts all boats'," he wrote on Instagram. "This team is the rising tide and everyone involved has lifted their game. I could not be more proud of the boys and the whole team right now! Excited for what’s to come."
The rider from Leeds attacked powerfully to the top of the Bir Jaydah Mountain Wirkah finish on stage two to take over the race lead, before extending his advantage on stage four, going solo 9km from the finish at Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid. Stage five saw crosswind chaos, with the race splitting into echelons; the key split at 29km to go meant Pidcock's two nearest rivals distanced. The stage ended with Matteo Moschetti of Q36.5 sprinting to victory, capping off an almost dream week for the Swiss squad.
"To be honest, I'm a bit emotional," Pidcock said post-race. "It's quite a fairy tale almost. To see how much it means to these guys is incredible, and to finish it off like that, it's unbelievable.
"Today, how we rode as a team. I didn't know any of these guys until December, and some of them I only met in January, so what we already do together and how we do it is incredible actually."
The double Olympic MTB champion has had great success on the road, including a Tour de France stage win and victory at the Amstel Gold Race, he has never won overall at a stage race professionally.
"As an U23, I could do this, but it's taken me a while as an elite. To be honest, it's a big step in my career," Pidcock said.
"The concentration it takes at this level to defend a lead every day, and this isn't a WorldTour race; it's only five days, I definitely realise how hard it is, but I think it's a big step."
Pidcock will next race at the Ruta del Sol later in February, another five-stage race he could target overall, before riding Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Opening Weekend.
