{"id":67359,"date":"2024-07-27T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-27T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/0f036cab-d7cf-40f8-a7d3-8cc16bcf32f2"},"modified":"2024-07-27T16:25:30","modified_gmt":"2024-07-27T14:25:30","slug":"jose-hermida-on-coaching-tom-pidcock-to-gold-his-2024-olympic-predictions-how-29ers-changed-everything-and-more","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/jose-hermida-on-coaching-tom-pidcock-to-gold-his-2024-olympic-predictions-how-29ers-changed-everything-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Jos\u00e9 Hermida on coaching Tom Pidcock to gold, his 2024 Olympic predictions, how 29ers \u201cchanged everything” and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former World Champion and Olympic silver medalist explains why “Tom Pidcock is a genius” and life in retirement <\/p>

By Jack Luke\n <\/p>

Published: Saturday, 27 July 2024 at 14:00 PM<\/p>

\n\n

\u201cI would like to be born again and to race today because I think it’s the best period in history.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

This is how XC racing legend Jos\u00e9 Antonio Hermida describes the depth of talent that will line up for the XC mountain bike events this weekend at the Paris Olympics<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

Heady praise from an athlete with Hermida\u2019s palmares.<\/p>

The much-loved Spaniard retired in 2017 after a 20-year racing career, culminating in his dominant performance in the 2010 World Championships. He also took silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics and fourth at the London 2012 Olympics.\u00a0<\/p>

Hermida raced at five Olympic Games in his career. – Andreas Rentz\/Bongarts\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Since retiring, Hermida has continued to work with Merida as an ambassador but has also moved into testing new and prototype bikes.<\/p>

He also works with Red Bull TV, commentating on cross-country events in Spanish and English.<\/p>

Despite officially retiring from professional riding in 2017, Hermida returned briefly to top-level racing with Joaquim Rodriguez at the 2019 Absa Cape Epic.\u00a0<\/p>

Listen to the BikeRadar Podcast<\/h2>
You can listen to Jack Luke’s interview with Jos\u00e9 Hermida on the BikeRadar Podcast using the player below. Otherwise, head to Apple Podcasts<\/a>, Spotify<\/a> or your usual podcast provider.<\/p>
<\/div><\/figure><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tom-pidcock-is-a-genius\">\u201cTom Pidcock is a genius\u201d<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-1330689901.jpg\" alt=\"Thomas Pidcock of Team Great Britain bite his gold medal and pose with the flag of his country in the background after the Men's Cross-country race on day three of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Mountain Bike Course on July 26, 2021 in Izu, Shizuoka, Japan.\" class=\"wp-image-874491\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hermida helped coach Pidcock to gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. – Michael Steele\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/features\/we-talk-retirement-moustaches-and-bar-ends-with-xc-legend-jose-antonio-hermida\">Speaking to BikeRadar in 2017 on the eve of his retirement<\/a>, Hermida said he was unsure if he would move from his role as a professional rider to being a coach \u2013 \u201cI\u2019m not sure I\u2019d want to be director sportif \u2013 I\u2019d be a dictator sportif\u201d.<\/p>Despite his reservations, Hermida revealed he worked closely with Team GB\u2019s Tom Pidcock in the run-up to the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics.\u00a0<\/p>Pidock took gold, beating Switzerland\u2019s Mathias Fl\u00fcckiger and Spain\u2019s David Valero.\u00a0<\/p>While Pidcock had ample support from Ineos, the team didn\u2019t have any experience in mountain biking.<\/p>\u201cIn 2019, the guys from Ineos contacted me and they asked me \u2013 \u2018okay, Tom Pidcock wants to win the Olympics, and we need a little help\u2019.<br\/><br\/>\u201cThey had a lot of information about nutrition and training, but everything was [based on] road riding \u2013 they had no knowledge of mountain biking.<\/p>\u201cI had met Tom years before, so I knew his personality and his riding, so he called me\u2026 and kind of like Tetris, we worked out where I could fit in.\u201d<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/04\/Sea-Otter-MTB-round-up-16.jpg\" alt=\"Pinarello Dogma XC at Sea Otter\" class=\"wp-image-829141\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Pinarello Dogma XC was developed for Pidock and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>Hermida says his involvement was more soft-touch \u2013 rather than developing rigorous training plans, he instead advised on tech and where to train.\u00a0<\/p>Before Pinarello developed its own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/reviews\/bikes\/mountain-bikes\/full-suspension-mountain-bikes\/pinarello-dogma-xc-first-ride-review\">Dogma XC bike<\/a> \u2013 which the brand has admitted was designed specifically for Pidcock and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot \u2013 Hermida helped Pidock test bikes, eventually settling on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/features\/pro-bike\/tom-pidcock-bmc-fourstroke\">a BMC Fourstroke<\/a>.<\/p>\u201cSome [he was] allowed to test, some not, because Pinarello had some ideas \u2013 \u2018Okay, this brand, you cannot touch because they are enemies!\u201d<\/p>He went as far as helping Pidock test a special short-life sealant designed specifically for the Olympics.\u00a0<\/p>A normal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/advice\/buyers-guides\/which-tubeless-sealant-works-the-best\">tyre sealant<\/a> will last around four to six months depending on conditions, but the special latex-rich sealant used by Pidcock would last for only one week. \u201cIt was kind of like glue but, after one week, it was like asphalt,\u201d explains Hermida.\u00a0<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-593235150.jpg\" alt=\"Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos of Spain rides during the Men's Cross-Country on Day 16 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Mountain Bike Centre on August 21, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.\" class=\"wp-image-874497\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hermida says Pidcock’s Olympic victory made up for the fact he never stood on the top step. – Ryan Pierse\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>While the tech and training played an important role in Pidcock\u2019s success, Hermida describes him as \u201ca genius\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\u201cTom can make a lot of mistakes \u2013 he is human \u2013 but he\u2019s making fewer mistakes and\u2026 he won the Olympics and World Cups, but made it look easy.<\/p>Of course, it was not easy. \u201cJust one week before, he was training here with me, even riding an ebike, I couldn\u2019t follow him \u2013 he trains like a machine\u2026 recovers well, and is really picky with nutrition, all because he knew he wanted to win the Olympics.\u201d<\/p>Hermida raced in five Olympic events across his career, but never took gold, so seeing Pidcock win was an emotional moment, \u201cIt was like winning the Olympics for myself,” he recalls.<\/p>\u201cI raced five times and couldn\u2019t make it. When Tom won the Olympics, his medal was for him but [what I] lost in my Olympics, I got it with Tom.\u201d<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-contentious-course\">A contentious course<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1699\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-2163608855-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Julian Schelb of Team Germany rides the course during a Mountain Bike training session on Day-1 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Elancourt Hill on July 25, 2024 in Elancourt, France.\" class=\"wp-image-874490\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Though it has some big technical features, the 2024 Paris Olympics XC course is far-removed from a UCI World Cup XC course. – Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>Pidcock lines up as a favourite again for the 2024 event, but he’s no fan of the course.\u00a0<\/p>Located around 31km outside of Paris, the punchy man-made 4km course sits atop a 230m hill, with a layer of compacted gravel sitting atop the shale.<\/p>Though it has some sketchy drops and rock gardens, the technical difficulty pales in comparison to courses such as Crans-Montana seen on the World Cup circuit, with Pidcock describing it as \u201cbland\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>Though he admits he prefers natural courses, Hermida thinks the Paris Olympics course will still make for great viewing, ultimately benefitting the sport\u00a0<\/p>\u201cObviously, a mountain bike course in the Olympics is completely different to a regular World Cup, where you have a course in Canada or Switzerland up in the mountains, or a ski area such as Andorra.<\/p>\u201cFor the Olympics, obviously you have to make it close to the city, or close to the Olympic village.<\/p>\u201cWe saw it in Bejing, where it was a small mountain \u2013 it was actually a garbage dump covered with tons of material to make it a course. It was the same in London.<\/p>\u201cWe sacrifice a little with the philosophy of mountain biking [with a man-made course], but the big platform that it offers us \u2013 for our sport, for our community, to make it more visible around the world \u2013 I think that\u2019s fair.\u201d<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1704\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-532839832-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Jaroslav KULHAVY (Cze)\/ Nino SCHURTER (Sui)\/ Aurelio Marco FONTANA (Ita)\/ Burry STANDER (Rsa)\/ Jose Antonio HERMIDA (Esp) ride the 2012 London Olympics XC MTB course\" class=\"wp-image-874483\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hermida reckons the racing will play out similarly to the 2012 Olympics. – Tim de Waele\/Corbis via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>Hermida draws comparisons between the London 2012 course at Hadleigh Farm and the Paris Olympics course. \u201cI think the dynamic of the race, or the competition in terms of performance, is going to be quite similar,” he says.<\/p>\u201cIt’s completely artificial, with a lot of rock gardens and a lot of jumps, but the surface is super-fast.<\/p>\u201cWe will see a super-interesting race, with a lot of riders together till the last lap because the technical parts of the Paris [course] won\u2019t make a big difference.<\/p>\u201cAll the riders are more or less at the same level, and a couple of artificial rock gardens won\u2019t make a big difference because there\u2019s only one line.\u201d<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-2158885514-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Samuel Gaze of New Zeland competes in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Crans Montana Cross Country XCO Men Elite on June 23, 2024 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.\" class=\"wp-image-874488\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Features like those seen at Crans-Montana wouldn’t be out of place on an enduro course. There is no such technical difficulty in Paris. – Piotr Staron\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>This close racing is less common in conventional World Cup racing on natural courses.<\/p>\u201cWe see a lot of differences in technique between riders when it’s natural,\u201d explains Hermida.\u00a0<\/p>\u201cThe course changes and changes with each lap. That makes a big difference when you are a technical rider, or a rider that can improvise a new line.<\/p>“On an artificial course, there is only one line. You stay there, full-gas engine, don’t think too much, don’t make mistakes and don’t move off the line.\u201d<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-full-sus-to-dominate\">Full-sus to dominate<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/DSC00504.jpg\" alt=\"Bjorn Riley's Trek Supercalibre at Les Gets\" class=\"wp-image-873425\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hermida thinks bikes such as the Trek Supercaliber will dominate in Paris. – Nick Clark \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>Nearly all cross-country riders now race on full-suspension bikes.<\/p>This is, in part, due to UCI rules \u2013 riders only ever use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/reviews\/bikes\/mountain-bikes\/hardtail-mountain-bikes\/\">hardtails<\/a> for short track racing. However, regulations dictate riders competing in both the short track and regular XCO races, which are generally held back-to-back on the same weekend, ride the same bike for both events.<\/p>This isn\u2019t the case with the Olympics. With only one XC MTB discipline in contention, riders can race on whichever bike they please.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1666\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/MERIDA-BIG-NINE-x-HERMIDA-PHOTOS-52-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Jos\u00e9 Hermida riding a Merida Big Nine mountain bike\" class=\"wp-image-874495\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Though he prefers them, Hermida doesn’t think any riders will choose a hardtail for Paris. – Merida<\/figcaption><\/figure>Regardless, Hermida believes all riders in serious contention for the win will race on full-suspension bikes.<\/p>\u201dThey ride maybe 80 per cent of the year on a full-suspension bike, so they are used to the position \u2013 in fact, most of the riders probably don\u2019t even have a hardtail.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\u201cI\u2019m old-school, so would probably ride a hardtail, but riders will definitely ride short-travel bikes, like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/reviews\/bikes\/mountain-bikes\/full-suspension-mountain-bikes\/trek-supercaliber-slr-9-9-xx-axs-gen-2-review\">Trek Supercaliber<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/reviews\/bikes\/mountain-bikes\/full-suspension-mountain-bikes\/specialized-s-works-epic-world-cup-review\">Specialized Epic World Cup<\/a> or BH\u2019s unreleased short-travel bike.\u201d<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-29in-wheels-changed-everything\">29in wheels changed everything<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1704\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-532839808-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Jaroslav KULHAVY (Cze)\/ Nino SCHURTER (Sui)\/ Aurelio Marco FONTANA (Ita) ride the 2012 Olympics course in London\" class=\"wp-image-874482\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hermida says Kulhav\u00fd’s success at the 2012 Olympics was, in part, due to the arrival of 29in wheels. – Tim de Waele\/Corbis via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>While discussing tech, Hermida throws back to the massive impact the arrival of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/advice\/buyers-guides\/what-is-a-29er\">29in wheels<\/a> had on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/advice\/fitness-and-training\/cross-country-racing-guide\">XC racing<\/a>.<\/p>Hermida explains that, until 2010, when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/advice\/buyers-guides\/what-is-a-29er\">29in wheels<\/a> arrived (displacing 26in wheels), technically gifted riders were at a real advantage.<\/p>\u201c\u200b\u200bFor example, between Nino Schurter and Jaroslav Kulhav\u00fd, when they were on 26in wheels, there was a big gap\u201d, explains Hermida.\u00a0<\/p>\u201cBut from the day they both rode on 29in wheels, the difference was reduced completely.<\/p>\u201cWe can see that with Kulhav\u00fd \u2013 a tall guy without [Nino\u2019s] super technique \u2013 won the Olympics in London, but he was a guy that, two years before, couldn’t make a top 20 in a World Cup.\u201d<\/p>He believes the increased capability of 29in wheels is one of the reasons why courses became more technical. \u00a0<\/p>Regardless, he believes the newest generation of riders are more technically skilled than ever. \u201cThe top 20 riders all have the technical skills,” he says.<\/p>\u201cThey come from a BMX route, or they ride motorcycles, gravel bikes, cyclocross, or downhill \u2013 they do back flips!<\/p>\u201cNow we see such crazy images \u2013 like the first World Cups in Brazil, where on the big jumps we could see Christopher Blevins doing a double jump and then a manual, Victor Koretzky and Nino Schurter doing signature whips.\u201d\u00a0<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-russian-method\">\u201cThe Russian method\u201d<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-1341588072.jpg\" alt=\"Jolanda Neff of Switzerland competes during a the cross country short track race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup on September 17, 2021 in Snowshoe, West Virginia.\" class=\"wp-image-874496\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hermida says modern riders take nutrition, recovery and training more seriously than he ever did. – Dustin Satloff\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>While courses, riding technique and bike tech have visibly changed, Hermida says training is also unrecognisable from his racing days.<\/p>\u201cIn the old times it was a Russian method \u2013 you know, it was like a train, train, train, train, train and just the strongest will survive.<\/p>\u201cNowadays, the training methods are more efficient, more scientific \u2013 they control the training, the nutrition, the bike tech.<\/p>\u201c[When I raced], it was like \u2018Okay, tomorrow is going to be a hard race, so we eat two dishes of pasta’ \u2013 that was it.”<\/p>Though \u201cmore professional and scientific\u201d, Hermida thinks this has come at the cost of personality in the sport.<\/p>\u201cThese guys never hammer it and have to stop in a gasoline station to buy doughnuts and a Coca-Cola nowadays \u2013 everything is so controlled.\u201d<\/p>With a constant feed of data, Hermida says contemporary riders may be a bit \u201clike robots\u201d, but concedes that\u2019s the only way to the top.\u00a0<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-jose-hermida-s-2024-olympic-xc-predictions\">Jos\u00e9 Hermida\u2019s 2024 Olympic XC predictions<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-women-s-race\">Women\u2019s race<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-2161028704-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Evie Richards of Great Britain competes in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Les Gets Cross Country XCO ELITE WOMEN on July 07, 2024 in Les Gets, France\" class=\"wp-image-874489\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Team GB’s Evie Richards is a strong favourite for the win. – Piotr Staron\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>Defending women\u2019s champion Jolanda Neff had to withdraw from the Olympics just three weeks out due to unresolved issues with her lungs.\u00a0<\/p>Hermida paises her integrity. \u201cThis is super-generous from Neff,” he says. “To give your spot to another competitor in Switzerland [2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Sina Frei] is super-generous.\u201d<\/p>With Neff out of the picture, Hermida marks out Britain\u2019s Evie Richards as a key rider to watch.\u00a0<\/p>\u201cI think it\u2019s a course that suits Richards. She\u2019s probably a rider that cannot maintain full fitness for the full season\u2026 but for a single-day race, she\u2019s there, especially on such a fast course like Paris,\u201d explains Hermida.\u00a0<\/p>Switzerland\u2019s Alessandra Keller and Team USA\u2019s Haley Batten are also on Hermida\u2019s shortlist.\u00a0<\/p>Keller is a top short-track racer. Hermida thinks her explosive power and \u201chot-blooded racing style\u201d will benefit her in Paris.<\/p>France\u2019s own Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot shouldn\u2019t be ruled out either: \u201cThe only thing missing from her Wikipedia page is an Olympic medal.\u201d<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-men-s-race\">Men\u2019s race<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-2151173777-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"France's Victor Koretzky competes in the French men's Elite Mountain Bike Cross Country XCO Championships, in Levens, on May 5, 2024.\" class=\"wp-image-874486\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Koretzky has a special place in Hermida’s heart. – ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT\/AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>As for the men\u2019s race, Hermida\u2019s heart beats for Victor Koretzky, who he singled out as a rider to watch in our 2017 interview.<\/p>\u201cIn 2017, I was in love with Victor Koretzky,\u201d says Hermida.<\/p>\u201cHe’s a guy with a lot of character and personality \u2013 and a guy that has fun on a mountain bike. He\u2019s now won World Cups\u2026 and has shown he\u2019s a real candidate for the Olympics.<\/p>\u201cIf the race finishes with a sprint, he\u2019s going to win the sprint.\u201d<\/p>\u201cThe problem for Koretzky is that he\u2019ll have Tom Pidcock on his side\u201d, Hermida adds.\u00a0<\/p>Pidcock raced two World Cups in 2024, winning both \u201ceasily\u201d, but had to withdraw before stage 14 of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/events\/tour-de-france\">Tour de France<\/a> due to Covid.\u00a0<\/p>Pidcock has since said he\u2019s feeling \u201cfine\u201d, but will also have to balance his performance in the XC event with his duties on the road.<\/p>Merida also marks out New Zealand\u2019s Sam Gaze, Britain\u2019s Charlie Aldridge, and South Africa\u2019s Alan Hatherly as riders to watch.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>And what about Switzerland\u2019s Nino Schurter? At 38, he\u2019s one of the most successful XC mountain bikers of all time and is still winning World Cups. Hermida reckons he could make the top three.<\/p>If it does come down to a sprint, Hermida thinks the finish will be \u201ccarnage\u201d.<\/p>\u201cA finish with Tom Pidcock, Victor Koretzky and Sam Gaze will be a super killer sprint,\u201d\u00a0he predicts.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-i-would-like-to-be-born-again\">\u201cI would like to be born again\u2026\u201d<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1796\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-1171030139-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Charlie Aldridge of Great Britain competes during the men's Junior Cross-country Olympic distance race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships at Mont-Sainte-Anne on August 29, 2019 in Beaupre, Canada.\" class=\"wp-image-874485\" style=\"aspect-ratio:3\/2;object-fit:cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hermida says the current crop of XC racing talent is the best he’s ever seen. – Dustin Satloff\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>Hermida wouldn\u2019t be drawn on his overall pick for either race.\u00a0<\/p>\u201cSomehow, they are all my friends, and I’m just super-happy they will deliver a mega show for us.<\/p>\u201cI\u2019ve said in a couple of interviews that I would like to be born again and to race in this period, because I think it’s the best period in history.<\/p>\u201cThere are so many talented riders\u2026 and it must be so cool to race against them.<\/p>\u201cEven if you lose a race against them\u2026 you grow as a person and as a rider, and we\u2019ll enjoy a big show on Sunday and Monday.\u201d<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Former World Champion and Olympic silver medalist explains why “Tom Pidcock is a genius” and life in retirement <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":67360,"template":"","categories":[1,36],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"12"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/07\/jose-hermida-on-coaching-tom-pidcock-to-gold-his-2024-olympic-predictions-how-29ers-changed-everything-and-more.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/07\/jose-hermida-on-coaching-tom-pidcock-to-gold-his-2024-olympic-predictions-how-29ers-changed-everything-and-more-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/07\/jose-hermida-on-coaching-tom-pidcock-to-gold-his-2024-olympic-predictions-how-29ers-changed-everything-and-more-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/07\/jose-hermida-on-coaching-tom-pidcock-to-gold-his-2024-olympic-predictions-how-29ers-changed-everything-and-more-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/07\/jose-hermida-on-coaching-tom-pidcock-to-gold-his-2024-olympic-predictions-how-29ers-changed-everything-and-more-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/07\/jose-hermida-on-coaching-tom-pidcock-to-gold-his-2024-olympic-predictions-how-29ers-changed-everything-and-more-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/07\/jose-hermida-on-coaching-tom-pidcock-to-gold-his-2024-olympic-predictions-how-29ers-changed-everything-and-more-2048x1366.jpg",2048,1366,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Former World Champion and Olympic silver medalist explains why \"Tom Pidcock is a genius\" and life in retirement","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/67359"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}