Tom Pidcock says Gianni Mader's death 'hit home quite hard for me' as he prepares for Tour de France

Tom Pidcock says the death of Swiss rider Gino Mader «hit home» as he prepares for this year's Tour de France. Ineos Grenadiers rider Pidcock became the youngest-ever winner on the Alpe d’Huez with a sensational solo win on Stage 12 of the 2022 Tour de France.

Ad But after hearing the news that Mader fell into a ravine during a high-speed descent at the Tour of Switzerland earlier this month, he says the Swiss rider's passing has impacted him. Liège — Bastogne — Liège MenEvenepoel defends Liege-Bastogne-Liege title after Pogacar crashes out23/04/2023 AT 14:56 “Obviously it was a very emotional day for everyone in cycling, especially those who were in [the Tour de] Suisse, and his team-mates and his family,” Pidcock told The Telegraph as he prepares for the opening stage of the Tour de France in Bilbao on Saturday.

“And I think one of those feelings – you know, besides all the other ones – was that descending is something that I love, and someone who I raced with died descending. It hit home quite hard for me in that way.” There have been calls after Mader's death for high-speed descents to be banned from finishes in the final kilometres of races.

However, Pidcock — a specialist at descents — believes there will always be «risks» in professional cycling and that it is up to the rider to make the safest decisions possible. 'I thought the Tour de France was just for white or European people' — Girmay 'The injury isn't completely behind him' — Pogacar and Yates to be co-leaders at Tour He added: “I guess unless we all want to race round the motor racing circuits, then we have to accept that we will be racing down descents.