Tom Pidcock reached the half way point of the 2025 Giro d'Italia with mixed emotions. There was a sense of satisfaction and almost relief after he finished fourth in Castelnovo di Monti' but also a desire for more, while acknowledging that stage hunting in Grand Tour is an arduous task.
The Q36.5 team leader now has three top-five results in 11 stages of racing. He was in the mix in the opening sprint in Tirana, third in Matera, again behind Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), now fourth, just 10 seconds down on a rampant Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) on the first testing mountain stage.
So far, his only regret is Sunday's stage on the Strade Bianche gravel. He and Q36.5 wanted to repeat Pidcock's 2023 Strade Bianche victory but he was caught in the decisive crash and suffered two punctures.
"I felt so good on the Strade stage…" Pidcock said, identifying it as his personal high point of his Giro, despite the result.
"It was the day I was really excited about. Unfortunately I didn't have luck on my side. But I can't complain about my Giro so far, apart from that moment, I've had a lot of luck on the days I need it."
Pidcock limited his losses in the rain-soaked Pisa time trial on Tuesday and is 15th in the general classification, 3:47 down on Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). The GC is not a goal but rather a consequence of his consistent riding on all terrains.
On stage 11 over the mighty Alpe San Pellegrino, Pidcock suffered but fought back to fight for the stage victory. He was repaid for his suffering.
"We went for the stage but Carapaz was incredibly strong, he was pretty impressive," Pidcock admitted. "The stage started full gas, right right from the start. The break went and then we started climbing hard. It turned into a full-on GC day.
"I didn't have the legs in the last few kilometres but Damo (Damien Howson) and Mark (Donovan) committed to getting me back on. It was hard but it was worth it."
Like the GC contenders and climbers, Pidcock can use Thursday's flat stage from Modena to Viadana to rest after a tough first half of the Giro.
The stage 13 uphill finish in Vicenza could be a chance of success for Pidcock, before another easier sprint day on Saturday. The final week in the mountains of northern Italy could offer even more chances for the Yorkshireman.
"I want to try and win a stage, that'd be nice now," he said with enthusiasm.
"We're only half way, there's still a lot of racing to come."
Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our 2025 Giro d'Italia coverage. Our team on the ground will bring you all the breaking news, reports, analysis and more from each and every stage of the Italian Grand Tour. Find out more.
