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.
Just in
NEW: WorldTour Manager Cyclinguptodate.com (FREE)
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
Popular news
Latest comments
- Not all doping cases are equal. I've known Rob Stannard since he was a kid. His suspension was for a bio-passport irregularity. Rob presented both a plausible explanation and medical evidence that WADA was unable to discredit. However they refused to accept it and in the CAS case Rob was told unless he was able to replicate the irregularities perfectly then his evidence wouldn't be accepted. However this was 4 years later and your body's biomarkers are different at 23 than at 19, so it was literally physically impossible to do what was required and so he was sanctioned in spite of wada being unable to demonstrate he had acted illegal. All this is to say that not all doping positives are evidence of cheatingPCR036818-03-2025
- Not all doping cases are equal. I've known Rob Stannard since he was a kid. His suspension was for a bio-passport irregularity. Rob presented both a plausible explanation and medical evidence that WADA was unable to discredit. However they refused to accept it and in the CAS case Rob was told unless he was able to replicate the irregularities perfectly then his evidence wouldn't be accepted. However this was 4 years later and your body's biomarkers are different at 23 than at 19, so it was literally physically impossible to do what was required and so he was sanctioned in spite of radars being unable to demonstrate he had acted illegal. All this is to say that not all doping positives are evidence of cheatingPCR036818-03-2025
- Yes, seriously, Z2. First of all, the race isn't 8 hours, it's a lot shorter. 2nd, if the team is protecting you/you're sitting in the bunch at 45km/h, these guys are definitely in Z2vappaxbipmv18-03-2025
- I had a deviated septum. Legacy of falling out of a tree on to my face. The op which was basically a hammer and chisel job, took a long time to get over. Even now years laterI'm susceptible to infections on one side of my sinuses. During high pollen count periods it's worse. It always held me back at times when endurence cycling. It's an extreme cure and I hope it works out for Jai.Cyclingsbestfan18-03-2025
- What about Astana? Tejada was pretty impressive in PN and Fortunato too, he had a solid ride on the only real mountain stage of 2025 TA. And there's also Ulissi.heinz18-03-2025
- Ayuso seems to be all about himself.. 🤷
leedorney18-03-2025 - Hey CUTD, nothing against your favourite insider but it’s a bit disrespectful to quite a few ladies to highlight Urska both in bold and in the title!Jumpyjohn18-03-2025
- Ayuso no works for the others: usually he runs hidden in the back of the pack to avoid working. Maybe he's not a good teammate, maybe he reaps what he sows. Personally, he is one of the few riders that I find unpleasant.
maria2024202418-03-2025 - Thought I’d share a nice thread discovered on the subject of Mrs Trump’s nationality : « A country that is able to produce the humility and fearlessness of Matej Mohorič, the playfulness and rule bending of Tadej Pogačar and the ability to stand against adversity as Primož Roglič, has nothing to gain from the values of the first lady. And that is only cycling. Mute Report Sirtracy OneMillionMonkeys 8 Jan Tratnik looks as fit as me and has won a stage at the Giro d'Italia. If that's not inspirational, I don't know what is. Mute Report GrouchoBlondini77 OneMillionMonkeys 7 Fully agree. And you can add Jan Tratnik to the list of Slovenian cycling stars. What are they putting in the water there? Mute Report OneMillionMonkeys Sirtracy 7 How could I forget Tratnik. Thanks » By the way, Sam Bennett seems awfully quiet at the moment, any news on him anyone?Mistermaumau18-03-2025
- Based on desires and current rate of improvement he is likely to reach MJ level before the likes of (for starters) TP, JV & RE and even PR retire. It was not an exclusive list and I don’t claim to or want to know every discussable rider’s age unless it becomes necessary :-)Mistermaumau18-03-2025