Pidcock sprints to Vuelta a Andalucia stage-two win

Tom Pidcock, a Briton, won his fourth championship victory on stage two of the Vuelta a Andalucia.

With 150 meters to go, Q36.5 rider Pidcock set out on his sprint, with Brandon Rivera, a former Ineos Grenadiers teammate, coming in second.

Another ex-colleague, Pavel Sivakov, now riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, finished third to take the overall race lead 32 seconds ahead of Pidcock, who rises to third in the general classification in the five-stage event.

Pidcock, who was disappointed to finish eighth on stage one after racing “over-enthusiastically”, was much happier with his performance on Thursday.

“Today I raced really smart. I didn’t have a big panic, I let the race play out, and in the end it was perfect. I know I’m in great shape”, said Pidcock, who celebrated by jumping his bike off a speedbump after the line.

“It’s really nice to get my hands in the air and compete on GC”

The 25-year-old has now won the AlUla Tour’s general classification in Saudi Arabia in addition to three individual stages this year.

After crossing just under 40 kilometers from the finish line to participate in a five-man breakaway, he made his most recent success on the tough 133.2 km route from Alcaudete to Torredelcampo.

1. Tom Pidcock (GB/Q36.5) 3hrs 22mins 04secs

2. Brandon Rivera (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time

3. Pavel Sivakov (Fra/UAE Team Emirates – XRG) “

4. Clement Berthet (Fra/ Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale)”

5. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) “

6. Maxime Van Gils (Bel/Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe) 1min 10secs

7. Markus Hoelgaard (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) Same time

8. Tim Wellens (Bel/UAE Team Emirates – XRG)”

9. Ruben Guerreiro (Por/Movistar) “

1. Pavel Sivakov (Fra/UAE Team Emirates – XRG) 7hrs 4mins 35secs

2. Clement Berthet (Fra/ Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) + 23secs

3. Tom Pidcock (GB/Q36.5) + 32secs

4. Maxime Van Gils (Bel/Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe) + 1min 03secs

5. Tim Wellens (Bel/UAE Team Emirates – XRG) Same time

6. Marc Soler (Spa/UAE Team Emirates – XRG) + 1min 38secs

7. Steff Crass (Bel/TotalEnergies) + 1min 42secs

8. Johannes Staune-Mittet (Nor/Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) + 2mins 43secs

9. Markus Hoelgaard (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) + 2mins 46secs