Tom Pidcock's coach, Kurt Bogarts, said a busy few weeks lie ahead for the British rider as he focuses on cyclocross and looks long term to get in top form for the Classics.

Pidcock and Bogarts, however, are undecided about defending their cyclocross world titles.

"I think the classics are more important this year," Bogaerts told Cycling News at Sunday's UCI Cyclocross World Cup Dublin round. 'We're trying to make sure he comes into the classics fresh.'

"We have a busy Christmas period planned. We plan to do quite a few races. But we will evaluate after each race whether to skip one race or continue as planned."

Bogaerts, who won the Superprestige Boom Round and the Kortrijk C2 race and was runner-up in the Ovelaise World Cup, believes Pidcock's form is slowly on the rise. Pidcock, of Ineos Grenadiers, finished third in Dublin on a flat, fast course.

Pidcock joked to reporters after the race that he would like to see a rule introduced banning the use of sand pits in cross events.

A complicating factor in gauging Pidcock's current form is that, unlike some of his rivals, he is heavily focused on his end-of-season goals in cross and is working hard throughout this period rather than tapering for the event.

"I train very normally during the weekdays, and I'm not fresh for the races," Bogarts explains. Bogaerts explained, "So we think of it as kind of a general training block with a good race on the weekend."

Pidcock will join the rest of the Ineos Grenadiers this week at a training camp in Majorca. His teammates are having a low-key season, not participating in competitions, as they prepare more steadily for the new year.

"In training camp, especially in December, everyone puts in a more steady effort, a longer effort," he said. It's not as intense."

"It's not that intense. But the fact is, when you're in cross-shape, you're explosive, but you're not consistent, so it's hard to put in that kind of effort."

"I'm training a little differently, but it's nice to see everyone again. I just hope it doesn't rain."

After the camp, he plans to return to competition and continue his intense schedule through Christmas. Given his relatively busy road season this year, which included 46 days of intense racing, including his first Tour de France, one could be forgiven if he wanted a quiet off-season. But five months after his stage win in Alpe d'Huez, he was the picture of determination in Dublin.

How does he maintain this focus throughout the year?

"Well, he grew up in this sport, cyclocross," Bogarts explained.

"We see some really good riders on the road doing this kind of training in the winter. And at the end of the day, everyone needs to work hard in the winter, and this is just another way to improve conditions and get stronger for the classic season."

"Mathieu [Van der Pol] does it, and Wout [Van Art] does it. Tom has other skills and abilities that could give him a shot at GC one day.

"But it's good training and keeps him motivated in the winter. He loves the crowd. He loves many aspects of the sport.

Becoming world champion fulfills one of Pidcock's great ambitions. It was the latest big title by a British rider, following a double cyclo-cross world and European championships as a junior and an under-23 win.

Pidcock enjoys racing in the rainbow jersey, but his ambitious approach to the sport means he may miss the chance to win gold again in the discipline.

Asked if he will compete at the World Championships in Hogelheide in early February, Pidcock raised a new question on Sunday. 'Probably not, but definitely not.'

Bogarts agreed. 'I think it's very unlikely,' he said. 'But it's not a decision. The World Championships are scheduled very late in the year, with training blocks for the road season. If you want to race the weekend before the opening weekend, you don't have much time. I haven't made a decision yet, but we'll see how it goes."

Pidcock came into this year's Classic with big ambitions, but as it turned out, he didn't do as well as he would have liked. His best results were third in Dwars door Hlaanderen, fifth in De Brabanthe Paille, and eleventh in the Amstel Gold Race, but he failed to place in both Milan - San Remo and La Flèche Wallonne. In Liège-Bastogne-Liège, he crashed and finished 14 minutes behind.

What did Bogaerts learn from this campaign that he feels he can apply next time?

"I don't think it went well this year. But he learned that he has a strong team and can rely on a strong team. He knows that when everyone is looking at him and marking him, there are other people on the team that can take advantage of that. So in the end, he tried to win with the team [like the win in Amstel with Michał Kwiatkowski and the win in Brabansonne with Magnus Sheffield; he did so well in his first year that it was natural for him to get a little marked going into his second year. That's normal."

The Belgian expects to do better this time around. Aside from his love of cross, that is why Pidcock is struggling this winter in a race that is not necessarily his favorite course.

While some races put him on the back foot compared to fitter, stronger athletes, keeping the big picture in mind is what keeps him going.

"Like I said, sometimes people might take it a little out of context, but he stands up to it," Bogarts said after the Dublin race. 'Guys like Van der Pol and Van Art have raw power. But Tom has proven he can beat them. Fighting on a track that isn't his strong suit, like today, is what makes him stronger as a rider."

"In many respects, he had a great workout today. It makes him stronger. At the moment of truth in the Classic, I think it will make the difference between winning and losing."

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