Tom Pidcock's greatest motivation in 2025 was to "throw his success in the faces" of INEOS according to Chris Horner
Cycling
Ahead of 2025, Tom Pidcock made a daring move to leave one of the world's biggest teams INEOS Grenadiers to join a middle-of-the-pack ProTeam Q36.5 Pro Cycling. It was a clear statement from the 26-year-old Brit who has grown tired of the endless power struggles in the unclear leadership hierarchy at the British team. By joining Q36.5, he was sure to have all the support needed, but also had to make the ends meet to deserve his paycheck.
The reasons for the change of colours were deepy ingrained in the relationship that had been build between INEOS and Pidcock over their four years together. Ultimately, the decision to part ways was a relief to both sides as the tension continued to grow. Pidcock, one of the best paid cyclists in the peloton, was unable to pump out the expected results - and INEOS wasn't able to meet his hopes of leader role as often as desired.
"When you look at Q36.5, it's an incredibly small team," Chris Horner emphasizes Pidcock's new role in his YouTube analysis. "Tom Pidcock's the only name on there that's substantial that you could say that if he's firing on all cylinders, and you don't have Tadej Pogacar at the race, you got a shot at winning with Pidcock."
However it has also been a great risk for Q36.5. The Swiss team immediately gained extra recognition in the cycling echelons with Pidcock in their ranks, but they spent a lot of money on a rider who didn't have a history of delivering the adequate results on regular basis. "He's only won four big races before he signed at Q36.5. So how was it gonna go?"
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As it turns out, Q36.5 had made a genius move. "With that drama when you leave a team under the kind of conditions that Tom Pidcock left INEOS, you're fired up during the wintertime to be training and come in firing on all cylinders, so you can start winning and just throw it in their faces," Horner points out.
Tadej Pogacar and Tom Pidcock were they main animators of the 2025 Strade Bianche
Lesson at tactics
What has been less ideal in Horner's opinion was the tactical aspect of the way Pidcock and Q36.5 approached some race scenarios. Without the strongest support team around himself, Pidcock often threw himself into the heat of battle, only to find himself isolated at the front of the race.
One part is blaming Pidcock's rider instinct, but his sports directors also need to take the reins and sometimes slow down their star's ambitions, for example when he decides to work together with Tadej Pogacar at Strade Bianche with 80km to go...
Impressive leap in consistency
Pidcock's uprise in 2025 can therefore be attributed to many factors. Horner points improved consistency across the season as one of those: "He has shown that he has better form throughout the 25 season than he did in the 24 season. And certainly for a longer period."
"I think when we take the four years at INEOS, at times he's had the same peak kind of form, but the problem that Pidcock's always had is how do you hold that peak form for longer periods, so you can get results over a month period, or two or three month period..."
"He has done a remarkable job of upping his consistency from the 4 previous years at INEOS and adding in a little bit more flair and bringing in some more wins, but again, still missing some big wins," Horner concludes, pointing out that Pidcock would have under normal circumstances won the 11th stage of Vuelta a Espana in a sprint against Jonas Vingegaard, had the stage finish not been cancelled due to protests.
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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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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