Tom Pidcock ends 2026 fifth in the world, with Ciccone and Hayter arriving at Pinarello for 2027
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Follow us on GoogleTom Pidcock has finished 2026 as the fifth-ranked rider in the world, the highest UCI ranking of his career. The Brit also led Pinarello Q36.5 to 12th in the team standings, ahead of six of the 18 WorldTour teams. But the numbers behind that success show how much of the weight sat on one pair of shoulders. All that will, in theory, change in 2027.
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The Swiss-based ProTeam scored 10,863 UCI points in 2026, 32.7% more than in 2025, and climbed from 19th to 12th in the team ranking. In mid-October, we reported that Pinarello Q36.5 sat 15th in the latest team ranking, already ahead of WorldTour teams Lotto Intermarché and NSN Cycling Team.
The final ranking secures the team invitations to every 2027 WorldTour race, including the Tour de France.
Tom Pidcock has carries Pinarello Q36.5 in 2026
Pidcock outscored his best teammate four times over
Pidcock scored more than 4,000 points, 20% more than in 2025. Cyclingnews notes that this was over four times as many as Quinten Hermans, the team's next-best scorer. That is roughly the same gap he had over his closest teammate in 2025.
Pidcock won five races, including Milano-Torino and a stage of the Tour of the Alps. He finished second to Pogačar at Milan-San Remo, ninth overall at the Tour de France and second at the Tour of Guangxi.
He also took top-10 places at Strade Bianche, Il Lombardia, the GP de Québec, the GP de Montréal and the World Championships road race. Away from the road, he won the mountain bike world title.
Tom finishing fifth in the world, the highest ranking of his career, is another exceptional milestone. He is one of the most talented athletes in cycling, and his achievements reflect both his extraordinary ability and the environment we are building around our riders to help them perform at their very best.- Pinarello Q36.5 team manager Doug Ryder
Ciccone: 'I've always admired him'
Pidcock's reinforcements are on their way.
The biggest name is Giulio Ciccone, who signed a three-year deal running until the end of 2029 after ending his eight-season stay at Lidl-Trek. According to the team, he was runner-up at the 2026 European Championships and third at Il Lombardia.
I'm also really looking forward to racing alongside Tom Pidcock. I've always admired him, not only because of his talent, but because he's a rider who thinks differently and isn't afraid to do things his own way.- Giulio Ciccone
Tour de France stage winner Mauro Schmid and the young American AJ August are also coming in. So is Ethan Hayter, who signed a two-year deal after two seasons at Soudal Quick-Step.
As we wrote when the move was first reported, Hayter will join Thomas Gloag, Fred Wright and Pidcock as one of four Britons on the roster. "Pinarello Q36.5 was one of the teams I really wanted to join," Hayter said.
Pidcock and Ciccone will race together in 2027
What changes for Pidcock in 2027
Pidcock, now 27, will lead the team for a third straight season. Having Schmid and Ciccone on the team takes some pressure off Pidcock as either of the two could lead the team at one-day races and stage races.
More importantly, it gives Pidcock more support in the final of the biggest races, something that he has missed so far. With less pressure on him to score UCI points, will we see Pidcock winning some of the races he missed out on in 2026.
The project has money behind it. Billionaire Ivan Glasenberg owns both the Pinarello and Q36.5 brands, which gives the team long-term financial security.
The team called the 2026 ranking a measure of its progress and a benchmark for the future. Now Pidcock has to show what he can do with a team built to share the load.
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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
- The article makes the new roster sound like a guaranteed fix, but big names don’t always click straight away. Ciccone and Pidcock both like having leadership, so it’ll be interesting to see how they share it. I hope it works, though.gearguru3326-10-2026
- I’m still learning how the UCI points work: does finishing 12th mean they’re automatically invited to every WorldTour race, including the Tour, or are there still extra conditions? Seems like a huge step for the team.davidm26-10-2026
- Hayter could be a great addition if he gets back to his best. The team’s got proper options now, not just one superstar doing everything.sprocketspiny26-10-2026
- Fifth in the world while carrying that much of the team’s points is some effort. Ciccone and Schmid should make a real difference in the finales—Pidcock might finally have someone to take the pressure off before the decisive move.cyclechamp4526-10-2026
- More time trials sounds good, but could Remco actually win the whole race? I thought the Tour was mostly about climbing.gearguru3323-10-2026
- If Pogačar crashed badly, does that mean he might not be fully fit for the Tour?julien23-10-2026
- Edinburgh for the Grand Départ is brilliant news. The crowds in Yorkshire were incredible, and Scotland could be just as special.pedalpowe2923-10-2026
- Froome’s point about the mountains is spot on: the extra TT distance gives the other GC contenders a real reason to race aggressively before the final climbs.tourdeforce923-10-2026
- 71km of time trialling should make things much more interesting. Remco will fancy his chances, but you can never write Pogačar off.lindae23-10-2026
- I’m still figuring out how time trials affect the overall race. If Evenepoel gains time there, will Pogačar have enough mountain stages left to make it back? The route sounds exciting, but I’m not sure how much difference 71km makes.davidm22-10-2026
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