Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team explain incredible impact of Tom Pidcock: “He lifts the team”

Tom Pidcock’s shock winter move from INEOS Grenadiers to Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team was one of the most talked-about transfers in recent cycling history, and understandably so. Dropping down from the WorldTour to a ProTeam raised eyebrows across the sport. Why would a double Olympic champion, classics winner, and Tour de France stage victor leave one of cycling’s richest and most prestigious outfits?

Now, just a few months into the 2025 season, the answer is becoming clearer: cultural reset, sporting opportunity, and perhaps above all, the chance to lead and shape something new. Already, the move appears to be paying off for both Pidcock and Q36.5, with the team experiencing their most successful start to a season since their formation under Doug Ryder in 2023.

Q36.5 have already surpassed their entire 2024 win tally just a few months into this campaign, securing seven victories in 2025. Four of those have come from Pidcock, instantly validating the decision to bring him on board.

“In general it brings us a step forward,” team sports director Jens Zemke told Cycling News. “Tom also brought his coach Kurt Bogaerts on board, so the complete knowledge and infrastructure. So there's also the motivational part, he lifts the team.”

That influence has been visible since winter training camps, Zemke noted, with Pidcock’s presence sparking greater attention to detail across the board. “Every screw we turn. We see there and there we have potential. It started from the winter already on and from the training camp and goal setting and the races.”

Q36.5’s momentum hasn’t gone unnoticed. “For the moment we are really happy with how the season develops,” Zemke continued. “From week to week we have somebody up in the game, and I think also the outside world is realising that this team is on a good way.”

Beyond the wins, Pidcock’s transfer has clearly brought structural benefits. By joining with his long time coach and taking a leadership role within the team, he has imported a level of professionalism and performance culture that aligns with WorldTour standards.

“It’s a big milestone to bring Tom on board, but I think this [path] will continue,” Zemke explained. “Our curve is going uphill. Also the people we bring on board. We have very good staff, the infrastructure is like WorldTour.”

That sentiment is echoed by those within the squad who were already part of Q36.5’s upward trajectory. Irish rider Rory Townsend, who joined the team in 2024, believes Pidcock’s arrival has enhanced what was already a solid foundation.

“Obviously from one side is the attention the team gets, it's obviously a little bit different now,” Townsend said. “Tom has a lot of drive and brings a lot in that way, like just trying to improve things in and around the team.”

But for Townsend, the team’s standards were already impressively high. “They're a super professional outfit, compared to anything that I've been involved in, so I think actually it was a really nice fit for Tom. For some people, I'm sure they were a bit surprised when he came here, but being on the inside I wasn't surprised.”

The team’s strong performances and rising profile were recently rewarded with a coveted wildcard invitation to the 2025 Giro d’Italia, their first Grand Tour appearance since the re-launch. It’s a landmark moment for the team and a huge opportunity for Pidcock to further stamp his authority on the sport.

“I think it is a fantastic opportunity for us as a team,” said Pidcock. “It’s what we have wanted to be a part of since I joined this team, and now it’s become a reality. I think it’s going to be a pretty exciting race with lots of different opportunities. I’m glad we have this opportunity, and I’m motivated to make the most of it.”

While a general classification bid might seem ambitious in a debut Grand Tour with limited resources, Pidcock’s versatility and exciting style could make him a real threat for stage wins. For a team still growing into Grand Tour racing, even making an impact on select stages would be a statement.

That said, the team are not without challenges, particularly in the Spring Classics. Illness and long-term injuries have depleted their depth, and despite Pidcock’s strengths, he is focused on the Ardennes, leaving a gap in their northern cobbled campaigns.

“If we bring the perfect line-up here with Tom, with [Frederik] Frison, with [Nickolas] Zukowsky then we would play a bit different role than now, driving car 23,” Zemke admitted. “The thing where we really struggle at the moment is a lot of riders which are not able to race at the moment due to sickness or long-term injuries.”

Still, riders like Townsend are embracing the greater demands. “Even from last year to this year with the team, I'm doing a lot more of the bigger races now,” he said. “Racing all of the races like I do now, it's quite intense but you just have to see it as an opportunity more than anything else.”

Interestingly, despite Pidcock’s star power, Townsend was clear that his presence doesn’t affect how others ride. “I just focus on what I need to do and my role. If I get the opportunity to work with Tom a little bit then it's nice. Even just having a guy on the team who I've raced with growing up is also nice.”

Perhaps the clearest sign of Q36.5’s transformation is the recognition they are now receiving within the sport. Zemke believes the Giro wildcard is long overdue. “We are in the third year now, third year that this team is existing, and I think we also deserve a spot in a Grand Tour,” he said. “If you look who's getting all these wildcards, then we are the only team in this ranking that's never received a wildcard.”

And with the Giro invitation secured, expectations are high that Q36.5 won’t just be making up the numbers. “You saw in Strade, we as a small team were challenging Pogačar, we made the race interesting,” Zemke pointed out. “And the same could be in the Giro for example, that we are not team 23, that we are playing a major role.”

Beyond racing, Pidcock is already proving a game changer in the transfer market. His presence lends credibility and appeal to riders who might otherwise have overlooked a ProTeam project.

“For next year we will get some more good riders on board,” Zemke said. “We are also getting interesting for other riders, so they already asked our team to join.”

The team’s sponsors reflect this new level too. “You see also we have premium partners here, in Scott bikes, with Mercedes cars, with the clothing Q36.5, Breitling watches too, so it's really high-end sponsors. That's also interesting for riders, if they know they are riding on a perfect bike.”