Tom Pidcock could be the spark of change to launch Q36.5 Pro Cycling into the top echelons of cycling world: "Tom has really raised the demands on the other riders"
Cycling
Tom Pidcock's move from INEOS Grenadiers to Q36.5 Pro Cycling was perhaps the most debated of the past winter, but for the Swiss PRT team, the investment in the 25-year-old Brit quickly paid first dividends with a dominant victory in the second stage of AlUla Tour.
"We have only one goal here, winning with Tom," Belgian teammate Fréderik Frison confirmed to Belgian newspaper Dernière Heure after Pidcock's uphill win at Bir Jaydah Mountain Wirkah. "It's great to see the team progress and to win here today. That's even greater motivation for me."
There'll be another opportunity today to celebrate for Pidcock who could also seal the AlUla Tour GC atop the famous Harrat Uwayrid wall.
But as sports director Jens Zemke told Dernière Heure, Pidcock's arrival for the 2025 season has not just seen the team take an early win in his first road race at the AIUIa Tour, it has also sparked other positive changes. "For the other riders, it's a new situation, because last year, we weren't in a position of being favourites very often. So that's a change, but it's also a boost to morale."
Zemke said Pidcock was playing a leading role in briefings but at training camp this winter, he had also discouraged the previous team practice of coffee stops after long training rides, "because he'd say – 'no, no coffee, we're staying in race mode'."
"He's always 'mentalised', even in his training and he hides his serious side with a smile. That's a good thing. Tom's really raised the demands on the riders, and the others understand that it's an enormous opportunity for them to be in a competitive team and progress at his side."
Frison added that Pidcock's arrival had enabled Q36.5 to exploit its considerable resources better. "Q36.5 has ProTeam status, but in terms of equipment and operation, we are at World Tour level. Tom is the leader we needed to take that step," he told Het Nieuwsblad.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
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- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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