No Pogacar, no excuses? Tom Pidcock and Giulio Ciccone could form a frightening partnership at Milan-Sanremo
Cycling
Pinarello Q36.5 will be an entirely different beast in the 2027 season. After a transfer market open-heart surgery of the squad's roster, several major riders have joined Tom Pidcock's team as the Pro Team seeks to break into the big time next season.
One such arrival is Giulio Ciccone, as the former winner of the King of the Mountains at both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France joins on a three year deal. A marquee signing and one of the biggest of the window, he broke his Lidl-Trek contract to join on a three-year deal.
Ciccone's arrival sees him join Pidcock as the side's main protagonists in both Grand Tours and hill classics in 2027, adding to the British rider's arsenal in major races. Other arrivals such as Mauro Schmid, Andrew August, Pavel Bittner, Ethan Hayter, Davide Ballerini, Seb Berwick and other young prospects make the Swiss team a new power in the sport.
For sports director Gabriele Missaglia, two prongs of attack is better than one for the big races, noting that both Pidcock and Ciccone can find clear benefits in donning the same jersey. He thinks that the pressure of being the sole leader is the biggest of those perks.
"I’d rather have two spirited riders than one," Missaglia told BiciPro. "In my view, both should see the positive side of things.
"For me, and for them, not having all the pressure on a sole rider can be an advantage. Sharing the responsibilities, even in the same race, is better, not just tactically but also in terms of managing the pressure."
Giulio Ciccone ahead of Il Lombardia 2026
Pidcock and Ciccone working together?
Missaglia projects that the pair can work in harmony, even suggesting that they can work for each other depending on the race in question. For stage races, plentiful options in spring mean both can have the freedom to sink their teeth into some appetizing challenges.
Noting one major goal the pair are expected to tackle together, it's a stomping ground of Pidcock-Milano Sanremo. Pidcock famously outlasted Mathieu van der Poel and held onto Tadej Pogacar's wheel in the monument this season. With the Slovenian's desperate attempts to make the race as hard as possible, only Pidcock could match him, as he was narrowly beaten in a sprint.
In 2027, Pogacar is expected to not participate in the race. In theory, this makes Pidcock a natural favorite for the race. The sports director hopes that a plan of attack for the race can be ironed out in the team's training camp next month.
Milano Sanremo start for both riders
"We are a team, and we’ll always strive to work as a team in the best possible way. Perhaps one day we’ll ride in support of one of them, and another time in support of the other. We’ll figure it out. I don’t foresee any issues with them working together.
"I think they’ll race together on some occasions. Perhaps only Ciccone will ride Tirreno-Adriatico, but I’d like to see both of them at the start of Milan-Sanremo. It depends on many factors. But everything is still a work in progress. We’ll start shaping that during our upcoming training camp in Spain."
Read also
On Ciccone, the Italian's transfer marks a major move for Pinarello and signals that the 31-year-old is all-in. He hopes that he can settle in, with a core Italian staff important in helping him hit the ground running.
"Giulio is certainly motivated. If a rider breaks a multi-year contract with a team like Lidl-Trek to join us, it's a sign he's up for the challenge.
"The team is all new for Giulio, but there are Italian staff, and he was welcomed with open arms. We all know he's open and a straight talker. That's the kind of people I like to work with."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- You're WRONG!!! ... Capish?PogiSloFans10-11-2026
- ALBERTO CONTADOR isn't the only former cycling star who is praising Pogačar as the "greatest rider in history." EDDY MERCKX about TADEJ POGAČAR: “He has revived a style of cycling that we had almost forgotten. He is now better than me.” Key statements by Merckx about Pogačar in 2026: - Acknowledging his superiority: This time, Merckx openly admitted, without any subsequent backtracking or reservations, that Pogačar had surpassed him and was now above him. This contrasts with 2024, when he quickly softened his remarks about Pogačar being faster. - The possibility of a historic triple (Giro, Tour and Vuelta): During the July Tour de France (where Pogi claimed his fifth title), Merckx stated that Pogi was the only cyclist in history capable of winning all three Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España) in a single season, provided the conditions were right and he had sufficient team support. - Lack of serious competition: Merckx emphasised that Pogačar has no real rivals in the mountains since 2024, thanks to his extraordinary climbing ability and the fact that he continues to improve despite still being under 28 (he turned 28 in autumn 2026). - Praise for his racing style: Merckx highlighted how Pogačar is bringing back the aggressive, uncompromising spirit of cycling's golden era, when races were not merely about calculated stages and tactical conservatism, but about attacking from long distances. PS: This is not "boring" ... this is called making real history... not statistical history. Capish?PogiSloFans10-11-2026
- No org will admit fault until the evidence in overwhelming and not even then. They have protected abusers and criminals.abstractengineer10-11-2026
- Schreiber won. UCI please admit your fault and correct result.averagecyclist10-11-2026
- She deviated from her line - end of
leedorney10-11-2026 - If I was Lucinda Brand, I'd refuse to wear the jersey. Is there a rule that she "has to" wear it, as the winner? It would certainly feel like stolen valor.wrsty10-11-2026
- but don't let your socks be too long or handlebars be a cm too narrow.mij10-11-2026
- Saw a casual interview with Geraint Thomas and him a few years ago. Seems like a nice laid guy and I wish him well.GregT10-11-2026
- Ernesto Maggioni - The president of the commissaires Mafia. It is getting evident that this guy is basically "Iamalwaysrightandyouarestupidsoiwontlistentoyou" kind of guy. So fire him so that he can be always right in his homeabstractengineer10-11-2026
- Somehow it has got into his mind that he is a GC rider. He is primarily a classics and stage rider who can perform on GC given his day. As a result he is wasting his time on TDF GC and once committed to GC you are too tired to do anything else.abstractengineer10-11-2026
Loading
1 Comments