Despite being one of the favourites on paper, Tom Pidcock admitted he hadn't given much thought to Sunday's UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda, having been mainly focused on his recent third-place finish at the Vuelta a España.

The Briton, who achieved his best result in a Grand Tour in Spain by finishing on the podium behind Jonas Vingegaard and João Almeida, explained:

I didn't think much about it. I just focused on the Vuelta without looking beyond that. When I got home, I was quite stressed because there were a thousand things to organize.

Pidcock arrived in Kigali on Tuesday morning after a few days of rest post-Vuelta:

I had four or five easy days and then started training again. Last week I did a seven-hour, somewhat intense session. The trip makes things a bit more difficult, but yesterday I did a good workout. The conditions here are pretty tough, between the altitude and the smog.

Despite his less than optimal preparation, the Ineos Grenadiers rider does not hide his ambitions:

"I wouldn't have come all the way to Africa if I didn't think I could do well. The World Cup is always a day where anything can happen. Let's not have too many expectations now."

Great Britain has a double advantage, having Oscar Onley as co-captain. The young Scot, fourth in the last Tour de France, could be a valuable alternative on a route that features approximately 6,000 meters of elevation gain.

"Oscar has shown his strength this year. It's going to be a tough, attritional race, and it's great to have someone like him on the team," Pidcock commented on his national teammate.