Disaster at Picnic PostNL could help Tom Pidcock's Pinarello-Q36.5 WorldTour bid on UCI registration deadline day
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Follow us on GoogleGiulio Ciccone left a WorldTour team to join Tom Pidcock at Pinarello-Q36.5, a ProTeam. That step down might not last long. Today, 15 October, is the UCI's annual team registration deadline. Picnic PostNL face it on a WorldTour licence that runs out after one season. According to Domestique, Pidcock's Swiss team are first in line if a place at WorldTour level opens up.
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Pidcock and Ciccone will race together in 2027, but at what level?
Pinarello-Q36.5 already rank among the WorldTeams
On results, Pinarello-Q36.5 have outgrown the second division. In the latest UCI team ranking, Tom Pidcock's Pinarello-Q36.5 in 15th place, with Tudor Pro Cycling Team in 16th, both ahead of WorldTour teams Lotto Intermarché and NSN Cycling Team.
Picnic PostNL are a long way back. The Dutch team down in 30th, trailing the top 18 by more than 6,800 points.
That is the background to Pinarello-Q36.5's busy transfer window. Cyclingnews reported that Ciccone is Pinarello's 11th new signing for 2027, and that the team are building a roster aimed at a step up to the WorldTour and success for leaders like Pidcock.
The Briton finished ninth overall at this year's Tour de France as a ProTour team rider.
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Picnic PostNL have had a disappointing 2026
Picnic's licence hinges on money, not points
In December 2025, Picnic PostNL were the only one of the 18 men's WorldTour teams to get a one-year licence, not the usual three.
At the time, the UCI said its Licence Commission had decided "to limit the duration of the licence to one year and to set conditions related to the financial criterion that must be met in order to permit its extension to the 2027 and 2028 seasons."
Pinarello-Q36.5 lost out in that same allocation. Domestique reported then that they had applied, but they were unsuccessful as there were 18 compliant applicants who had scored more UCI points in the previous cycle.
More than financial and performance problems for Picnic Post NL
Earlier this month, Vélo-Club reported that Picnic PostNL were weighing a voluntary drop to ProTeam level. The team denied it. "That is not true," the spokesperson said. "We are simply busy with preparations for 2027 as a WorldTour team for men and women."
The team are now also under intense scrutiny off the bike, after an in depth investigation by NOS in the Netherlands. As we reported, Riders who felt afraid and powerless expose are now exposing "unworkable" conditions within the team.
Former rider's, like Ireland's Nicholas Roche, have even come forward to expose legacy problems for the long standing Dutch team.
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What a promotion would mean for Pidcock and Ciccone
For Pidcock and Ciccone, the difference would be felt in their calendars. WorldTour status brings automatic entry to the Grand Tours, but it also comes with some obligations. For instance, a WorldTour licence obliges a team to start every WorldTour race bar one.
As a ProTeam, Pinarello-Q36.5 depend on their ranking. According to CyclingUpToDate, the three best-ranked ProTeams from the previous season receive guaranteed access to all WorldTour events, while the others have to rely on qualification and wildcards.
Ciccone's three-year deal runs until the end of 2029, and he gave up a Lidl-Trek contract of the same length to sign it. Ciccone has spoken about his excitement to race alongside Tom Pidcock, with the aim to do so at the highest level of the sport.
If Picnic Post NL are not relegated from the WorldTour, then Ciccone's WorldTour points will be crucial for Pinarello Q36.5. Domestique explains that points from 2026, 2027 and 2028 determine which 18 eligible teams can secure WorldTour licences from 2029, the last year of Ciccone's contract.
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- How does a team actually get a wildcard for a Grand Tour? Is it mainly based on ranking, or do organisers have more choice? I’m still trying to get my head around how the divisions work.andrewf15-10-2026
- The points gap to the top 18 is huge, so Picnic PostNL’s licence situation sounds precarious. Still, the allegations about conditions within the team deserve proper scrutiny, not just transfer-window speculation.cadencekingm15-10-2026
- Pidcock finishing ninth at the Tour as a ProTeam rider is impressive. WorldTour status would give the squad a more settled calendar, though the obligation to start almost every WorldTour race could stretch a team that’s still building.pedalpowe2915-10-2026
- Pinarello-Q5 are making a serious case on the road, and Ciccone is a big signing. But points alone won’t tell the whole story if Picnic PostNL meet the UCI’s financial conditions.michael5415-10-2026
- The article calls the Giro the likely option, but Seixas has said the Tour is his lifetime goal. That seems a bit premature—wouldn’t the team want him back at the Tour after finishing fourth?gearguru3314-10-2026
- Five weeks between the Tour and Worlds sounds like plenty of time to recover and get ready again. I’d love to see him go for both.sprocketspiny14-10-2026
- Why does the Vuelta start just six days after the Worlds? Do riders ever compete in both, or is that turnaround generally too short?davidm14-10-2026
- He’s had an extraordinary season, but there’s no need to rush him into targeting everything at once. A gradual build towards the Tour could pay off in the long run.lindae14-10-2026
- That Worlds course sounds tailor-made for Seixas. Twenty ascents of Domancy is savage, and racing at home could make it a huge day for him.andrewf14-10-2026
- The Giro looks like a sensible next step: a chance to lead a Grand Tour team without the full weight of the Tour-Pogačar hype. But with Evenepoel and Del Toro potentially on the start list, it won’t be an easy podium.jennifer1914-10-2026
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