Pinarello-Q36.5 have huge ambition for Pidcock and Ciccone double act: 'Like a red rag to a bull'

Pidcock joined Ryder's team from INEOS Grenadiers after 2024. He was a world champion (2023) and two-time Olympic champion in mountain biking (2021 and 2024) and already had a world title in cyclocross (2022) under his belt, but Pidcock’s road racing record wasn’t quite as impressive yet. For someone with his potential, five victories might have been a bit underwhelming.

At Pinarello-Q36.5, Pidcock has made tremendous strides on the road over the past two seasons, and he’s also added a European Championship and a World Championship title on the mountain bike. He recorded a total of ten road race victories, suddenly began competing for the win in the major Monuments, finished on the podium (third) for the first time in the 2025 Vuelta a España, and added a ninth-place finish in the 2026 Tour de France.

All signs point to Pinarello-Q36.5, Pidcock, and Ryder aiming even higher in 2027. In the quest for a WorldTour license starting in 2029—which, due to the uncertainty surrounding Picnic PostNL, might come sooner—the team has signed a few big names, including Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla), Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step), and Pavel Bittner (Picnic PostNL) have been recruited as some of the big names.

"In terms of performance, we can be satisfied with last season," Ryder said in the podcast. "We came close to winning a Monument, and a world title was also within reach," the South African noted, referring to Pidcock’s narrow second-place finish behind Tadej Pogačar in Milan-Sanremo and the missed world road title in Montreal, Canada.

Ryder also cites Pidcock’s ninth-place finish in the Tour de France as one of the highlights, because the team made its debut and immediately competed for the general classification for three weeks. “We’ve now become a team that riders want to ride for, if you look at the riders we’ve signed. We’re in a strong position; everyone wants to be associated with us.”

Now that Pidcock is surrounded by stronger riders, Ryder believes the Brit’s enormous ambitions can be better realised. “Tom is a rider who gives it his all—100 percent—when he believes in something. He envisions himself making it onto the podium at the Tour de France, and with a ninth-place finish, we’ve achieved our initial goal of a top-ten finish.”

"It helps that we now have more depth and quality on the team. That brings more pressure, but in a way it also takes some of the pressure off, because Tom has more support in the final stages. That gives him energy, so there’s definitely more potential. Tom has circled the Tour de France in red as a major goal, simply because many people tell him he won’t be able to do it.”

"That's like a red rag to a bull," said Ryder, who now also has other team leaders—including Ciccone and Schmid—to take some of the pressure off Pidcock. "Mauro will ride in support of Tom in certain races, but there will also be plenty of opportunities where we’ll go all out for him. With riders like Ciccone, Schmidt, and Pidcock, we have a lot of depth and quality."

But, as Ryder emphasises: “We have a clear strategy centred on Tom; he’s our number one. But that can open doors for the others, too. Giulio’s arrival is a huge coup for us. We have Italian title sponsors, and Ciccone is, after all, something of Italy’s cycling son—a true fighter, just like Marco Pantani. They clicked right away, and Giulio and Tom know they’re stronger together.”

Ciccone is already on the roster for the Giro d'Italia, and Pidcock is expected to ride the Tour.