Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) confirmed that João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) apologised to him at the start of stage 10 of the Vuelta a España, two days after the Portuguese told him to “grow some balls” on the final climb of stage 9.

"He apologized for his words, but I didn't take it personally," Pidcock told the Cycling Podcast at the finish line in Larra Belagua. "These things happen in the heat of the moment. I've said similar things to others in the past, so there's no hard feelings."

The British rider is continuing his impressive run in the general classification, proving to be one of the strongest riders alongside Almeida and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike). His confidence is growing day by day.

Currently fourth in the overall standings, just 58 seconds behind Vingegaard, Pidcock is one of only three riders within a minute of the red jersey. Ahead of the challenging eleventh stage in Bilbao, which on paper suits his abilities as a specialist in the Ardennes Classics, the Briton comments: "I feel really good. Sunday's performance before the rest day gave me a lot of confidence, and I felt strong again today. The more that happens, the better I feel."

Vingegaard himself acknowledged Pidcock as a serious threat to his leadership: "To be honest, it doesn't surprise me. Tom is an exceptional rider, and the fact that he's up there shows how strong he is. I see him as one of the main rivals for the general classification."

Unlike the Giro d'Italia, where he arrived without any specific preparation, Pidcock arrived at the Vuelta in top form: "At the Giro, I wasn't fresh, I wasn't ready. Here, it's different." The Briton is now targeting the Bilbao stage, before the toughest tests on the climbs of Angliru and Lagos de Somiedo this weekend.

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