Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team has hit once again in the transfer market. Transfer number 10 of the winter is XDS Astana's Davide Ballerini, a winner at the Giro d'Italia this year and another leader for its cobbled classics campaign.
The Swiss team announced the signing of Ethan Hayter earlier this week, and with Ballerini also being added to the team, it confirms the fact that the Swiss team is far from finished when it comes to this year's transfer period.
"Davide knows what it takes to win big races, he understands the Classics, and he brings years of experience from some of the best environments in professional cycling," team CEO Doug Ryder said in a press release.
The 32-year old turned pro in 2014 and has joined the World Tour in 2019, but despite this, continues to evolve and have the hunger to win at the highest level.
"What I really like is that he still has that hunger. He's won again this year, including a stage at the Giro d'Italia, and he believes there is more he can achieve. That ambition is important to us," Ryder said.
Ballerini joins Ethan Hayter, Mauro Schmid, Pavel Bittner, Sebastien Berwick, Andrew August, Jan Castellon, Tom Crabbe, Niels Driesen and Liam O'Brien as the team's signings. It is expected that Giulio Ciccone's signing is also confirmed soon, with the Italian already having been confirmed to have split ways with Lidl-Trek.
"We are building something special at Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, with our riders and partners working closely together. Having someone like Davide, who understands how equipment, preparation and teamwork come together in the toughest races, is a great fit for our Home of Cycling Innovation. I'm really looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together."
Davide Ballerini at the 2026 Giro d'Italia
Ballerini a new classics leader at Pinarello
The Italian rider has won the European Championships in 2019 and Omloop het Nieuwsblad in 2021. However after a few years on the downside - with Quick-Step's demise in the cobbled classics a major reason - it was not an easy journey back to the top. In 2025, Ballerini finished second to Wout Van Aert on the Montmartre stage at the Tour de France. This year, he won stage 6 to Napoli at the Giro d'Italia, a crash-marred cobbled uphill sprint - one that suited him to perfection.
"I've always loved the Classics, and that will never change. I actually struggle more in hot weather than in the cold," the Italian said. "I like the rain, I like the lower temperatures, and I love the atmosphere of racing in Belgium. People often ask me what it feels like to race on the cobbles, but it's almost impossible to explain. You have to experience it yourself".
Ballerini's intentions of joining the team as a cobbled classics leader are clear, with him joining the likes of Fred Wright, Quinten Hermans and Aimé de Gendt -whilst Tom Pidcock and Mauro Schmid might on occasion add firepower to the lineup.
"At this stage of my career, I was looking for fresh motivation and new objectives. Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team showed me a project with real ambition, a Team that is growing and a group of riders who work together towards clear goals. I want to bring everything I've learnt throughout my career, but I also believe you should never stop learning."
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Hence after three seasons with the Kazakh-Italian squad, Ballerini moves on to the second division of the cycling world, but with no less ambitions than he's had before.
"Innovation and performance were among the reasons I chose this Team," he continued. "Today, equipment and clothing can make a real difference. I've always believed that companies develop better products by working closely with professional athletes. We can give them valuable feedback, especially when it comes to materials, clothing and how everything performs in demanding racing conditions.
"Experience is important in that process. I like the idea of being part of a Team where riders can contribute to the development of the products they use. That's how you keep improving."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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