World cyclocross champion Tom Pidcock "probably won't" defend his title in February.

The UCI Cyclocross World Championships do not take place until February 5, and the 23-year-old will likely miss the defense of the title he won in the US earlier this year.

Asked if he will defend his title, Pidcock replied: "Probably not. I don't know."

Pidcock won the Tour de France's L'Alpe d'Huez last season and a stage win in April's one-day race, the De Brabanté Paille. With more one-day races scheduled for the spring, the young Briton admits that this cyclocross season is second only to his road racing goals.

"I want to enjoy the cyclocross season at a good level and benefit from it. [Cross is not a function of the road. I am still here to enjoy the racing and to win. I also have to admit that I am benefiting from the road."

"It can be difficult [for a road racer to switch to cyclocross] to gain explosiveness, but it's easier if you're generally healthy. You always want to keep your strengths and your endurance will naturally grow as you get older."

Pidcock will be at the Ineos Grenadiers training camp this week and will compete again in cyclocross at Zilvermeercross on December 23. The British rider is looking forward to a tough week of training at Ineos Grenadiers, including longer endurance rides, and hopes to return to cyclocross with a little improved form.

"I'm going into training camp now. I might be able to step it up a little bit [for a return to cyclocross], but it's not my goal to make any big steps up in the next month or so." [In training camp, especially in December, everyone puts in a more steady, longer effort.

"I'm explosive, but I'm not consistent. I'm training a little differently too. It's nice to see everyone again."

Pidcock gave everything he had to win in front of a huge Dublin crowd that wanted the young English rider to win.

Despite an attack with three laps to go, the six riders stayed in the pack and Pidcock suffered through an early effort, which was won by Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma).

Not to disappoint the crowd of over 8,000 spectators, Pidcock pushed hard in the closing laps to finish in third place.

"I'd be pretty disappointed if I didn't make the podium," he said. With three laps to go, that's when everyone is tired and you can push. I pushed but nothing happened. I don't know if I went faster or if we went the same speed, but nobody dropped out and nobody came back.

"Wout made the gap on the last lap and I was pretty fast on the last lap. In those conditions I don't think I have the strength to make a difference on a flat course.

"It was strange to see so many riders in the pack. It was really muddy, yet it ran like a fast course.

"I couldn't push. I had to be on the podium on the last lap. I would have been disappointed if I wasn't, and I would have liked to win, but it was all I could do. It was a pretty tough course and there was nowhere to make a difference today."

Pidcock's towel got caught in rival Van Aert's wheel, breaking the rear derailleur.

"For a few minutes I didn't know what had happened. 'I heard someone braking, which was odd. It was a very close and open race today."

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