After catching up to COVID-19 in the Tour de Suisse, finishing in the top 20 in Paris, and more importantly, winning L'Alpe d'Huez, Tom Pidcock is perhaps the most impressive of the 40 debutants who started in Copenhagen three weeks ago enjoying the Tour de France.

The 22-year-old was an integral part of Ineos Grenadier's Tour campaign, which saw Adam Yates finish in the top 10 and Geraint Thomas return to the podium after suffering a chest infection in the final week.

The team also won the Team Classification, its second award in as many years after 2017. For Pidcock, who savored his Tour debut with Alexandre Vlasov, Fabio Jacobsen, Quinn Simons, and Matteo Jorgenson, the race was both a victory and a learning experience.

"The last few days have been pretty hard, and I think it proves that I've never experienced anything like this," Pidcock said at the start of the final road stage to Cahors on Friday.

"I've never experienced anything like this before. In the Vuelta, I got better throughout the race. I learned a lot."

Pidcock also said he wrote down what he noticed and learned as he progressed through the race, adding that the notes are something he can refer to when he returns to the race in the future.

"Experience the race, learn, write it down. Every little thing makes a difference.

"When I joined the team, they told me I should write down what I learned, and here I am writing everything down every day. So I've got some pretty good ideas for next year, routines and everything."

After three hard weeks of racing in the fastest Tour de France ever, Pidcock heads to Paris with seven Ineos teammates.

Victory atop the Tour's most famous mountain would mean a lot to Pidcock, who has already won a world cyclo-cross title and an Olympic mountain bike title. 10 days ago, the Yorkshire native made his international debut on MTB just three years ago He finished this mountain alone from a strong breakaway group.

After the final time trial on Rocamadour, he said he could reflect on his Tour now that the "proper" stage was over, before the ceremonial finale to Paris.

"Now that it's over, yes," he replied when asked if he used the 40-km trial run to reflect on the race.

"I didn't do the full gas. But I'm trying to enjoy the last two days of the Tour de France. The last 40km was very nice, a TT by myself, no stress, no crowds in a group. I was relatively comfortable."

With the race heading to the Champs-Elysées and nothing left to fight for, Pidcock said he is looking forward to the final stage of the 2022 Tour and is especially looking forward to sharing in the atmosphere and sense of accomplishment.

"Honestly, I'm really looking forward to it. I think it's going to be really great. For everyone, just being in the Tour is a huge accomplishment, and no matter where you finish or what you accomplish, everyone is just happy to be in Paris."

"I think it's going to be a really nice feeling, the atmosphere and everything."