En la París-Roubaix 2025, mientras los focos alumbraban la gesta de Van der Poel al frente del pelotón, otro tipo de historia se escribía en la cola de carrera. Joe Pidcock no luchaba por el oro, ni por el podio, ni siquiera por entrar en ningún top. Su pelea era más íntima, más cruda. Pedaleaba solo, perseguido por el silencio y la brutalidad del adoquinado, hasta llegar a la meta 53 minutos y 40 segundos después del vencedor. El último. Pero también uno de los más valientes.
El esloveno se fue al suelo cuando quedaban poco más de 35 km por culpa de una mala cuva y una moto.
Con apenas 23 años y defendiendo los colores del Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, Joe afrontó el desafío sabiendo que no estaba en plenitud física. No tenía piernas para disputar, pero sí carácter para resistir. En una prueba donde muchos abandonan incluso antes de llegar al ecuador, él optó por lo contrario: aguantar. “No venía bien, pero sabía que tenía que acabar como fuera”, confesó a Cycling Weekly. “Pensé que llegaría de noche”.
El esloveno se fue al suelo a falta de 38 km por culpa de una moto cuando ambos iban a jugarse el triunfo en un ‘mano a mano’ para la historia.
Fue descolgado a las primeras de cambio. Desde entonces, se enfrentó al infierno del norte sin ayuda, lidiando con los adoquines, las sacudidas del pavé y el desgaste mental. “Estuve a punto de caerme tres veces justo antes de los sectores. Cuando vi la caída de Van Aert, estaba tan cerca que creo que me rozó. Después de eso, ya no tenía fuerza… pero abandonar nunca fue una opción”.
El esloveno fue segundo ten meta tras sufrir una caída en la París-Roubaix, pero eso no le impidió disfrutar de una merecida ducha en las famosas instalaciones del velódromo de Roubaix.
Joe es hermano de Tom Pidcock, campeón olímpico y una de las grandes estrellas del ciclismo actual. Pero Joe está labrando su propio camino, sin atajos ni privilegios. En su equipo, el Q36.5, es uno de los referentes jóvenes, una promesa que en Roubaix se convirtió, al menos por un día, en símbolo de perseverancia. “No sé si volveré a tener la oportunidad de correr aquí. Hay tantos que ni siquiera pueden soñar con esto… Terminar esta carrera es algo que muchos desean más que cualquier otra cosa”.
Al corredor neerlandés le tiraron un bote en plena Roubaix cuando cabalgaba en solitario tras el error en la curva de Pogacar.
Mirando al futuro
La emoción también tuvo su espacio. Especialmente cuando atravesó el Bosque de Arenberg, ese túnel de ruido y emoción que impresiona incluso al último clasificado. “Fue una pasada. No estoy aquí por mi estado de forma, sino porque otros se cayeron o no pudieron venir. Y aun cuando el público ya se estaba marchando… seguía habiendo voces entre los árboles. Fue como si Roubaix se negara a apagarse del todo”.
El corredor esloveno se fue este domingo al suelo cuando faltaban 38 km de carrera. Un aficionado grabó la secuencia desde muy cerquita.
No habrá fotos suyas en lo alto del podio. Tampoco titulares rimbombantes. Pero ‘el otro Pidcock’ cruzó la meta con la cabeza alta, como lo hacen los ciclistas de verdad. En una carrera donde se premia tanto el aguante como el talento, él se ganó un hueco por puro corazón.
This news was originally published on this post .
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