Tom Pidcock is having a breakout Vuelta a España, riding with the best GC contenders, finishing top GC rider on Stage 17, and nearly winning in the Basque Country before the stage was neutralized.
But beyond the results, what makes him so strong on climbs?
One of the components is his exceptional standing climbing technique.
Here’s the breakdown:
1️⃣ Side-to-side, not up-and-down
Pidcock shifts his body side to side with each pedal stroke, timing the shift right at the top of the downstroke. This lets him drop his full bodyweight into the pedals, especially at the top, an often underused part of the stroke.
2️⃣ Core lock + elbow flick
He engages his core and brings his elbow inward on the downstroke side. This creates leverage and directs his rhythm, like a snappy inward “flick” that transfers power straight into the pedals.
3️⃣ Head leads the motion
Pidcock’s head drives each side-to-side shift while staying parallel to the ground. No bobbing up and down. When your head rises and falls, you’re wasting energy holding yourself up instead of pouring weight into the pedals.
The takeaway: Pidcock isn’t just pedaling harder, he’s using his entire bodyweight + perfect timing to climb more efficiently and with more power.
Want to improve your climbing? Master these 3 details to improve your standing technique.