Alan Hatherly, the reigning UCI Mountain Bike World Champion, is determined to bridge the gap with Olympic champion Tom Pidcock on the road. Despite a less impressive performance at the Vuelta a Andalucia, where he withdrew after three stages, Hatherly’s debut at the AlUla Tour was notable. There, he was outperformed only by Pidcock in uphill stages, showcasing his potential in road racing.
Hatherly’s transition to the road has been deliberate and well-planned.
In an interview with Bici.pro, he explained that he took less rest at the end of the previous season to prepare for the immediate start of road racing with his team. “I prepared very well for this choice,” he said. “I rested less than other years at the end of the season, precisely because with the team we had decided to be in the race right away. And I wanted to start off on the right foot, to put myself to the test right away.”
With his first major road races under his belt, Hatherly is now assessing his progress as a road professional. He is confident that he will soon be on equal terms with Pidcock, who has been a benchmark for him in both mountain biking and road racing. Hatherly’s ambition reflects a broader trend of mountain bikers transitioning to the WorldTour, where they aim to leverage their skills and endurance to compete against seasoned road cyclists.
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