“He’s in a better place, mentally and physically” – Tom Pidcock’s coach reveals 2025 transformation away from INEOS Grenadiers
Cycling
Twelve months ago, Tom Pidcock looked a shadow of his usual
self. Struggling for rhythm and battling inconsistency, his 2024 season on the
road never quite caught fire. But in 2025, the 24-year-old Brit is riding like
a man transformed.
Having left INEOS Grenadiers to join Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team,
a team that had never started a Grand Tour before this season, Pidcock’s move
raised more than a few eyebrows. Who leaves a WorldTour superpower for an
ambitious but unproven squad?
Read also
So far, Pidcock has silenced the doubters.
He began the season in emphatic style by winning the overall
classification and two stages at the AlUla Tour. He then went toe-to-toe with
Tadej Pogacar to take second at Strade Bianche, before backing it up with third
at La Flèche Wallonne and top 10s at both Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Amstel Gold
Race.
Now at the Giro d’Italia, he’s targeting stage wins, and
perhaps more.
“There have been a lot of small things, different parts of
the puzzle that have come together,” Pidcock’s coach told Cycling Weekly.
“And the result is he’s in a better place, mentally and physically.
“We made a few adjustments in training, with more intensity
but the same volume, and also with nutrition. These parts we have definitely
improved and he’s getting better results.
“He had a big performance in Strade Bianche; the stage races
we did went really well; he was third at Flèche, but he was unfortunate to
puncture in the last 10km of Amstel Gold, and he should have been second or
third at Liège.
“There have been a few small mistakes like hydration and
fuelling errors at Liège that we need to stop with the age he’s at, but the
consistency is there and if we look along the curve we see he’s definitely a
better rider and we see that his numbers have also improved.”
More than just physical gains, Pidcock is clearly in a
better headspace too. In Netflix’s Tour de France: Unchained documentary, it
was clear to see that Pidcock and INEOS were no longer a match made in heaven. So
far, it seems that his goals and that of Q36.5’s are more closely aligned.
“He’s in a good place again and you can see that he’s
enjoying racing his bike,” the Belgian coach continued. “We don’t have a
massive target for him, but we instead just want to get the maximum out of him.
We’re not saying we want to win a particular race – we just want to be
consistently in the game, give him the tools to perform on the day, and we’ll
see where it brings him.
“There are still a few things to fall into place because it
was a big change but once everything’s settled down then he’ll definitely have
found the platform where he can perform.”
The next part of that platform includes returning to his
roots. Between the Giro and the Vuelta a España in late August, Pidcock will
once again compete in mountain biking, which is where he has always been at his
best.
“That’s who he is,” his coach said. “Maybe people want to
change him to go in one particular direction, but Tom hasn’t made that choice
yet and maybe never will make a definitive choice. He just sees progression in
every part of cycling, and he pushes everyone around him to support him in that
kind of philosophy.
“We will do some mountain biking this summer and then gravel
at the end of the year, and it’s what he likes to do. In his current program, I
don’t think that’ll bring any negatives onto the road. It cannot be an excuse
not to perform at his best on the road.”
🇮🇹 #GirodItalia
— Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team (@Q36_5ProCycling) May 11, 2025
And they are off - the team is feeling and looking good.
It’s very hot here in Vlorë, but we are prepared for anything. #PrepareWithPrecision https://t.co/KRbZKdUPGd pic.twitter.com/4D6ueV3sDE
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
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