"It drives him, motivates him, and pushes his limits": After AlUla, Pidcock quickly sets his sights on the next big goal

Tom Pidcock and Q36.5 are off to a flying start. On Tuesday, the Brit claimed his first victory in his new team’s colors on Mountain Wikrah, and on Thursday, he backed it up with another win on the brutally steep climb to the Harrat Uwayrid viewpoint. Safe to say, his transition to Q36.5 is going smoothly — something both Pidcock and his teammates confirmed when speaking to IDLProCycling.com.

The fact that his victories in the 2.1 race in AlUla are highly valued was already clear on Tuesday. Pidcock’s longtime confidant and mentor, Kurt Bogaerts — who moved with him from INEOS Grenadiers — could barely hold back tears at the top of Mountain Wikrah. "And that says everything about how much this means," Pidcock confirmed after stage 4, while waiting for his doping test. This victory carried extra significance for him as well.

It’s still far from comparable to his Olympic titles, World Championships, Tour de France stage wins, Amstel Gold Race, or Strade Bianche triumphs, but nonetheless, Pidcock knows that a good start is more than half the battle. "I think this is just special. I owe a lot to Q36.5 because they have fully placed their trust in me and shown it. To begin our journey together in this way is fantastic. For everyone involved."

"I told the guys they needed to position me well, but from the steep section onwards, it was every man for himself. No matter how hard or slow you rode. I kept my own pace to the top and then pushed on, but that last flat section was tough. That was the hardest part because I couldn’t get out of the saddle, and that’s what I prefer," the Brit laughed, referencing his mountain biking background.

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Bogaerts confident: "I'm sure Pidcock can get even better"

Pidcock dominated the competition in Saudi Arabia, but afterward, he was also proud to report that his power meter readings pleased him. "I set personal records. On Tuesday, I hit my best-ever five-minute power output, and I think today I recorded my best-ever ten-minute effort," the Brit stated. "I'm not surprised by my level because I’ve made big strides in training and nutrition. And that's paying off now."

Bogaerts looks at those numbers the same way. "It’s not the biggest field of competitors, but in terms of effort, he’s showing that compared to last year, he’s in a great place," said the Belgian. "Does he have more in the tank? I think he can get even better. We haven’t even pushed him to the limit yet, so I’m quite sure of it. Normally, he struggles at the start of the season — we’ve seen that in cyclo-cross too. He needs a few races to get going. But now, Tom is recovering well and feeling happy. We can train hard for the next two or three weeks leading up to the Ruta del Sol, and then we’ll try to make an impact in the spring."

The spring season begins with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad — a cobbled race that is a completely different type of effort and racing style compared to the explosive climbing of the AlUla race. "Omloop is not an easy race, but he enjoys riding there. We know he’s a lightweight, and these types of races aren’t easy for him. But it drives him, motivates him, and pushes his limits. To be a complete rider, he has to keep doing this, and I encourage it. You sometimes need that in Grand Tours too, if that ever becomes part of his career path, and he can look forward to that," Bogaerts explained.

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Q36.5 teammates are already taken with Pidcock

A heartwarming sight: after his victories, Pidcock personally thanked each of his Q36.5 teammates, and the pride in the eyes of riders like Frederik Frison, Emils Liepins, and Nicholas Zukowsky was unmistakable. "The guys give everything for me, 100 percent. That’s amazing, and I give everything back. I like that kind of pressure because I can perform under those conditions," said the Brit, with his mentor adding: "We switched teams, and Tom is a winner. Everyone wanted to ride for him, but you also want to back it up with good legs. You see that a lot of riders have great seasons when they get off to the right start."

Frison was already part of Q36.5 in 2024, a year in which the team only secured five victories. With Pidcock now leading, the team could very well surpass that number in no time. The Belgian is extremely satisfied, as he voiced that sentiment at the AlUla Tour: "We had just one goal, and that was to win with Tom. Some people criticized his move to this team, but... I know, the team knows, and he knows that it was a very good decision."

"This proves it, and it silences the critics," he continued. "The team may have the label of being a ProContinental squad, but in reality, it’s WorldTour level. In terms of equipment, operations — everything, really. Within the cycling world, among the riders, that’s well understood, so we were thrilled when Tom joined us. We needed this, and it’s immediately clear that it’s paying off."

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Frison and sports director Zemke highlight the difference with and without Pidcock

"Someone like him has leadership qualities, and he makes that known, which is only good for the team. Working for a leader like him is different — you can’t do that for someone without a resume," Frison explained. "You push yourself that extra bit more, and that boosts the level of the entire team. Tom is a winner, and this is what he loves to do," said the classics specialist, who understands his role for the spring campaign if Pidcock is on the start list. "It’s only more motivating, especially after my unlucky season last year. In the Flemish classics, we don’t compete against each other — if he’s racing, all eyes are on him. And that’s totally fine by me. I’m all in. 110 percent," he said eagerly.

Just like Frison, German sports director Jens Zemke — formerly of BORA-hansgrohe and Dimension Data — joined Q36.5 in 2024, and he also sees the impact of having Pidcock on board. "For our other guys, it makes a world of difference. Last season, there were hardly any races where we were the favorites, so this is a whole new experience. But it’s great for morale. Everyone is working hard, and we’ve made real progress this winter."

"Tom is a funny guy, though you might not always see that from the outside," Zemke described. "We’re getting used to having him around. During the winter training camps, we built a bond, and he immediately made his presence known in meetings. And that’s necessary because we don’t have much time. On training camps, we did seven-hour rides, and normally, we’d stop for coffee. But Tom said, ‘We’re not stopping,’ and we just kept going as if it were a race — taking drinks from the car, peeing from the bike. And it was all with a smile. For him, but also for the other riders. This is an opportunity for them too, to be part of something big," concluded Zemke, who, like the rest of the team and staff, has been all smiles in recent days.

Read also

"Even Merlier struggled to control his bike": What did we learn from Pidcock’s "Mickey Mouse" stage in AlUla?

Tom 'Tourist' Pidcock skips Liévin for Saudi Arabia: "Cyclo-cross? Didn't miss it at all this winter"

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