'That's their right' - Pidcock Il Lombardia deselection a 'management decision', says Ineos sports director Zak Dempster
By Flo Clifford
Published 12/10/2024 at 13:03 GMT+1
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Ineos Grenadiers' sports director Zak Dempster has said that the call to remove Tom Pidcock from the team's Il Lombardia line-up came from management and was not based on his performance, conceding that it "does look strange". The move to deselect the Yorkshireman has overshadowed their participation in the race, after Pidcock took to Instagram on Friday to say he had been dropped.
Pogacar's hat trick of Il Lombardia wins as he bids for fourth straight title
Video credit: TNT Sports
Ineos Grenadiers have stated that the decision to deselect Tom Pidcock from their Il Lombardia squad "was a management decision" rather than related to his performance.
The team's sports director Zak Dempster conceded that the move "does look strange" and said the call to take him off the squad for the final major race of the year was taken by upper management.
Pidcock had initially been part of the Ineos squad for the final Monument - major one-day race - of 2024, having come second at last weekend's warm-up race, the Giro dell'Emilia, and looking to have come into some late-season form.
But he was not included on Ineos' start list for the race and took to Instagram to say he had been "deselected" despite being in "great shape".
Speaking to Cyclingnews at the start line in Bergamo, Dempster said, "I mean, these are Tom's words. Obviously, I'm not stupid - it does look strange, but, the reality is that the team has the right to select the team they feel fits it.
"That's all the information I have at the moment. It was a management decision on the final team, that's their right, and here we are without Tom. It can be a performance decision, and in this case, it was a management decision."
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The spat comes after feverish speculation over the 25-year-old's future, with rumours linking him to a move away from the team in 2025.
Writing on Instagram on Friday after the start list was released, Pidcock said, "Just as things were on the up after a turbulent end to the year I am deselected for Lombardia tomorrow.
"I am in great shape and was really looking forward to it! Good luck to the boys, I guess off season starts early. Thanks for everyone’s support even in the tough times."
Pidcock's performance last Saturday at the Giro dell'Emilia made him one of the few riders considered likely to challenge Tadej Pogacar at Il Lombardia. The Slovenian is the new world champion and has reigned supreme at one-day and stage races alike all year, winning the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege among other races, and is bidding for a record-equalling fourth straight win at the final Monument of the season, also known as the Race of the Falling Leaves.
Pidock, who was planning to make his debut at Il Lombardia, was 15th at Gran Piemonte earlier this week and won the Amstel Gold Race in April alongside mountain bike gold at the Paris Olympics.
In his absence, Ineos are represented by Ethan Hayter, Thymen Arensman, Jonathan Castroviejo, Brandon Rivera, Ben Swift, Connor Swift and Ben Turner.
Stream Il Lombardia on Saturday, October 12 live on discovery+
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