Leaving behind a struggling Picnic PostNL, Pavel Bittner is ready for his next adventure: 'Gives us a huge advantage'

"The Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team is pleased to announce the arrival of Czech sprinter Pavel Bittner," the team, led by Tom Pidcock, announced on Monday. The Czech sprinter is leaving Picnic PostNL after more than four years to embark on a new adventure. Bittner is the second rider to join Pinarello-Q36.5 in recent days, following Mauro Schmid's annoucement.

The Swiss team calls its newest addition “one of the most promising young sprint talents in the peloton.” In 2024, his breakthrough year, Bittner won a stage in the Vuelta a España. Earlier that year, he had also won two stages in the Tour of Burgos. Those three victories combined were, until now, the only wins the 23-year-old Czech has achieved.

"Even from the outside, I could see how much this team has grown over the past few seasons," says Bittner of his new home. “Every conversation confirmed the same feeling: it’s an ambitious project, but also one where people genuinely enjoy racing together. That family-like atmosphere was very important to me, because I believe you perform best when you truly enjoy the environment you’re a part of.”

What has the new recruit most excited? “The fact that I’m joining a team built around a truly performance-oriented philosophy. In modern cycling, every detail counts, and the full integration of brands like Pinarello, Q36.5, and Amacx into the project gives us a huge advantage.”

Bittner feels he has become a more well-rounded rider over the past few seasons. “I’ve learned to stay calmer at crucial moments, and I know there’s still another step to take. My ambition is to become a consistent winner, to compete for victories in the biggest races, and to keep improving every year.”

And team manager Doug Ryder is just as enthusiastic: “Pavel represents exactly the type of rider we want to build our future around. His talent has never been in doubt, but what has impressed us most is his mindset. He’s ambitious, analytical, and constantly looking for ways to improve—qualities that fit perfectly with the culture we’re building as a team.”

"At just 23 years old, he has already competed in two Tour de France campaigns, won a stage in a Grand Tour, and shown remarkable progress again this season. "We believe his best years are still ahead of him, and we’re excited to support his development as he works his way toward becoming one of the leading sprinters in professional cycling," Ryder concluded.