A revitalized Tom Pidcock is ready to please his public
He may be only 25, but TOM PIDCOCK knows what he wants. And, as 2024 ticked over into 2025, with his career stalled by internal wrangling and power struggles over his desire to race both on and off road, he wasn’t staying with INEOS Grenadiers. It was time to move on. So now, after exiting the elite British team, the Englishman is leading a lower-tier squad, sponsored by bike clothing company Q36.5 and managed by South African Doug Ryder, who previously ran Team Qhubeka.
Pidcock’s unexpected move out of WorldTour racing has not however been a step down. If anything, it has given him a new lease of life, something of a rebirth. That’s because he now has direction instead of drift. “The fog has cleared,” he told Fausto. “I can see clearly. I know what I need to do, I know how to win.”
His growing problems at INEOS were thrown into stark relief last fall. Power struggles, leadership debates, management reshuffles and the presence at the heart of the team of his own entourage had all muddied the waters. In fact, one source close to the team described the situation within the team as “a shit show.” Despite INEOS signing the Yorkshire rider to a significantly boosted contract, his status within the squad remained unclear.
While his people sought greater control over Pidcock’s race program, INEOS team management was forced to push back, with a power struggle increasingly threatening the smooth running of the team. As the problems intensified, there were understood to be disputes over team leadership, team selection, what role Pidcock would play and which staff worked on which race.
As the situation deteriorated and Pidcock was “de-selected” for the season-ending Italian monument, the Tour of Lombardy, the team’s veteran leader Geraint Thomas said, “I don’t think the people around Tom help.”
A source told Fausto of the fallout with INEOS: “They ended up compromising and then blaming Tom. It wasn’t his fault. They let him do it.” In the end, the Pidcock-INEOS split was inevitable, even desirable. And judging by each party’s performances since the start of the 2025 season, it was the best outcome for both.
“I like things more simple,” Pidcock said about his new situation with Q36.5. “I like my own goals and objectives and not to be influenced by people, organizations and sponsors telling me what they want. That’s exactly what I can do here. I had options to go to the biggest team in the world, and I chose to go to this team because of the belief that they have in me and my goals. I like to race and be myself, so I think it’s a fantastic opportunity.”
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