Cyclo-Cross World Cup: Tom Pidcock survives late mechanical to win in Namur

Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) survived a late scare to win the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup in Namur, Belgium.

The British rider started behind the main favourites but by the penultimate lap the former world champion was clear of the field. A late front-wheel puncture threatened the win but Pidcock hung on to beat Pim Rohnaar (Baloise Trek Lions) and Joris Nieuwenhuis (Baloise Trek Lions) in convincing fashion.

The win marked Pidcock's first win of the cyclo-cross season and his first elite World Cup victory in Namur, but it was far easy.

Even after making contact with the leaders Pidcock was forced onto the backfoot when he dropped his chain in the opening laps. He battled back and cut through the field for a second time before catching and passing the two Baloise Trek Lions riders.

"It wasn't simple but I can be happy with that. I learned from the last time that I raced here that it's the last laps where it really counts. If you go too deep at the start then you can make mistakes. You can lose 30 seconds, easy. I was just waiting and waiting then I went. Then I punctured and I had to go again. I was never sure," Pidcock said at the finish.

"I thought that after my chain was stuck and I came back, I thought that I had a chance to win but it wasn't easy. It's a course where you can't really go in the red."

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Pidock was down in 21st place after the first climb with Gerben Kuypers setting the pace early on. The Belgian dropped his chain on one of the first tricky descent with Ryan Kamp moving into first position as Rohnaar and Joris Nieuwenhuis moved up.

Pidcock was quickly moving through the field, and edging into the top ten by the end of the first lap, with World Cup leader Eli Iserbyt in fourth.

Nieuwenhuis, Kamp and Rohnaar continued to lead before Kamp crashed and Pidcock suffered his first mechanical of the afternoon.

At the start of the third lap Nieuwenhuis and Rohnaar were clear of the field, before Iserbyt crashed and Pidcock moved into fourth, just behind a fading Kamp.

Rohnaar kicked clear of his teammate on the next lap, with Pidcock slotting into second place and just five seconds down. A mistake from Rohnaar saw the gap close to just two seconds, as both riders changed bikes on the fifth lap.

A lap later and Pidcock changed machines once more before unleashing a powerful attack that saw him go solo. The late puncture saw the British rider's lead drop from 12 seconds to nine but he had enough in the tank to change bikes once more and hold on for the win.