After the 2024 campaign and the end-of-season drama surrounding his future at Ineos Grenadiers, Tom Pidcock is again focused on rediscovering the fun of bike racing.

Speaking on stage at Rouleur Live as the name of Thursday's headline, Pidcock went deep about his past season at Ineos and didn't enjoy his victory at the Paris Olympic MTB event and some of his future plans.

However, a discussion with Matt Stevens was opened with the broadcaster warning that there was a certain elephant in the room where the pair could not speak- his proximity from Ineos

"A lot is going on this year in relation to Tom and the team press I definitely think many of you are very interested in talking." You will be interested...But we can't," Stephens said, and several members of ineos' senior staff entered the audience. 

"Because Tom is whisked off the stage, bundled into a van, and then taken somewhere to a derelict wasteland. It will not happen."

But the Ineos guy branched slightly out of it and didn't lie about the shortcomings that he and the team were enjoying.

When Stevens asked if he was "in a happy place in terms of clarity and purpose that will move forward for you in the next few seasons," "No" was the Englishman's answer.

"I will never lie. So it's true Yeah - we had a difficult year, I had a difficult year. That's not what we wanted. But I see a lot of positive changes," he continued.

"Of course, everyone accepts that it is difficult. That's the first thing you need to do if you want to change it. And I definitely see some of those changes happening. And I hope it will turn around next year.

Pidcock had highlights including a victory in the Amstel Gold Race and a defense of his Olympic MTB title, but it was a largely winless year, apart from his own expectations and the team's expectations as their highest-paid rider.

For the 2024 season, Pidcock was supposed to actually do a general classification at the Tour de France, but he was off the mark and eventually abandoned the race with 19 separate from the lead before Stage 14 due to COVID・55 symptoms. But did he ever really want to get on the GC?

"That was what I needed to say," Pidcock said when asked if it was his real desire. 

"I don't say anything incredible, but the last year I went on tour I think I don't really know what I want and what I can achieve

"I don't feel any special way about it, it just doesn't create a good experience. I really want to find what I want to get out of it and be realistic, and I want to go a bit from there."

It's the fun he's looking for, the pressure comes at a cost and sucks the fun out of the sport for Pidcock. Mountain biking is also a discipline that he seems to be his favorite as the only person watching the race, Pidcock found the stress overwhelming.

"To be honest, everyone will probably be quite surprised, but I didn't enjoy racing. Not at all," said Pidcock of the Paris Olympic cross-country race, which took place on the hill of Elancourt.

Pidcock immediately answered Stevens "Yes" and asked if it was stress. "In the build-up, I put too much stress on myself. You can just stress yourself and ignore everything else.

"I'm building myself a bit too much because sometimes it's really too relaxing to be able to go to the race. You're a lot in your head and trying to stay focused, but not too focused and not thinking too much about the race. "

In the end, he created a great move to overcome the stress, beat Viktor Koretzky and let the home French crowd down, but this is the pattern of Pidcock's season and the tour brought the same frustration.

"My first year on the tour was great, my first experience of it, I won the stage, G was on the podium, it was great. And for the last 2 years, to be honest, I haven't really enjoyed it," he admitted.

"It was difficult. It was difficult because I didn't win the stage and as a team I wasn't as successful as I'm used to. I kind of have to try and rediscover that feeling I had in the first year.

Before the start of the race in Florence, before admitting again that the stress of expectation was putting a damper on things, he said, "Enjoy it, I'm part of the race

" "I also think expectations have increased in the last two years and yeah, I haven't met them for many reasons."" Oh, it's really fun, you're always trying to reason by yourself, I guess," said Pidcock.

"You are the biggest race in the world, despite thousands of people cheering. It is quite a pressure cooker."

He has gone around the question of whether to do the Tour de France in 2025 and instead chose to focus next season's goals around the classics, but Cyclocross also appears to be off the cards and the Brit has to spend extra time to reset after the aforementioned team drama. You need to know how to use it.

"Not at the moment, but probably," Pidcock said of the potential for cross-field appearances this season.

"It was a long year. I needed a proper break for everything. But it is possible to do some races between Christmas and New Year, but you can understand it later.

He concluded his story in front of a packed crowd and returned to that quest again in search of fun at Ineos next season.

"I want to go back to being in the race and enjoying it, and I think everything else will follow," Brit concluded. "Unless you want it yourself, it's everything else and irrelevant."

At the time of writing, tickets are still available for Rouleur Live on Saturday and can be purchased here.