As far as safe bets go, predicting Tom Pidcock will be successful in 2022 seems sensible. The 22-year-old is making his return to the road after a rainbow jersey-winning winter in cyclocross, and was prominent if not podium-threatening at the Opening Weekend of the Classics.
18th at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad having made the front group and visibly animating the race at Kuurne-Brussells-Kuurne on Sunday, Sir Bradley Wiggins is predicting big things for Pidcock once again this year.
"He is amazing, isn't he," Wiggins said on his Eurosport podcast. "Obviously he has moved on now from his Olympic title and the Vuelta a España he rode. He is going to be a force to be reckoned with this year. He has got a very old head on his shoulders, hasn't he."
Wiggo also spoke about Mark Cavendish's early season form, saying you "would not put it past him" to get Tour de France win number 35...
"Another superstar, Mark Cavendish, he is already winning this year," Wiggo continued.
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"He has picked up where he left off last year, which is fantastic for us, and he has hit the deck again. If Cav does do the Giro — which starts in Budapest — or the Tour — which starts in Copenhagen, which will be great for Mark because he loves Copenhagen — you would not put it past him to go one better than Eddy Merckx and beat that record."