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Britain’s Tom Pidcock has signed a new five-year contract with Ineos Grenadiers.
Ineos, formerly Team Sky, consider Pidcock a rider who can challenge for top honours in road cycling.
“Ineos Grenadiers is the right team,” he said. “It’s the team I grew up dreaming of joining.”
Pidcock, from Leeds, came third in Wednesday’s Belgian semi-classic one-day race Dwars door Vlaanderen and won last year’s classic De Brabantse Pijl.
His current deal was due to run out at the end of 2022, but he is now tied to the team until at least 2027.
Ineos have one of the biggest budgets in road cycling, but Pidcock – who made his debut for them last year – has been much sought-after by other teams.
Several American bike manufacturers involved in the World Tour have tried to tempt him away from the British team for his ability across so many disciplines in the sport.
Alongside the cyclo-cross title, he could also win the mountain bike and road World Championships this year.
“Ineos have backed me all the way across every discipline I’ve raced in,” he added. “I couldn’t have asked for better support leading up to my future goals – chasing Monuments, world titles and one day a Grand Tour. This is definitely the best place to be.”
Pidcock told BBC Sport before this year’s cyclo-cross world title he wanted to win the Tour de France.
“I’ve never really fully said this, but I want to win the Tour de France,” he said.
“I grew up watching [it], coming home from school every day and watching the last part of the race and watching the highlights with my family in the evening.”
Pidcock will be one of the favourites to win the Tour of Flanders Monument race this Sunday.
Belgian favourite Wout van Aert is unwell and may not take part, his Jumbo-Visma team have announced.
