Tom Pidcock, Britain’s Olympic mountain bike champion and Tour de France stage winner, has once again showcased his elite descending skills – this time reaching speeds of up to 95km/h down the Rossfeld Panorama mountain pass, which straddles the Austria-Germany border.
In a video, the 25-year-old is filmed tackling the 6km descent by Austria’s former Dakar Rally bikes champion Matthias Walkner, who follows on a motorbike equipped with cameras.
Pidcock uses the controversial “supertuck” position – lying on the top tube of his bike for aerodynamic advantage – which was banned in professional races by the UCI in 2021, but remains legal in non-competitive settings.
Despite the aerodynamic posture, Pidcock was seen pedalling hard and riding out of the saddle at moments, reportedly producing over 800 watts of power.
At the base of the descent, Walkner is seen applauding Pidcock’s performance before towing the Q.365 rider back up the mountain road.
No stranger to speed
Pidcock’s skill as a descender has earned him global acclaim.
During his debut Tour de France in 2022, he famously blitzed down the Col du Galibier and Col de la Croix de Fer, touching speeds over 100km/h en route to a dramatic stage win atop Alpe d’Huez.
In 2023, he featured in a now-viral video by cycling filmmaker Safa Brian, descending Tuna Canyon in Los Angeles.
That clip has racked up over 2.7 million views, further cementing his reputation as one of the most fearless and skilled descenders in cycling.
Who are Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team?
Q36.5 is bankrolled by Johannesburg-born billionaire Ivan Glasenberg, while the team manager is South African Doug Ryder.
At the time of publishing, Glasenberg is the 324th-richest man in the world with a net worth of $9.3 billion according to Forbes.
Glasenberg, 68, is a former chief executive officer of Glencore, the world’s largest commodity trading and mining companies.
He was the company’s CEO from 2002 to 2021.
He is married with two children, and a resident of the village of Rüschlikon in Switzerland.
Glasenberg paid 360 million Swiss francs (R7.4 billion) in taxes to Rüschlikon following Glencore’s flotation on the London Stock Exchange.
The money enabled the residents to cut their taxation rate by 7%, which was approved by large majority after a public vote.
Glasenberg became a Swiss citizen in 2011.
He was a champion race-walker for both South Africa and Israel.
What’s the fastest you have ever ridden downhill?
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