Picnic PostNL fields Jakobsen and Van Uden for AlUla Tour, Pidcock reveals Q36.5 teammates that will join his debut race

The cycling season is already underway with the Tour Down Under in Australia. Now, the action shifts to Europe and Asia, where the first races are set to take place. In Spain, several events will be held in the Valencia region, while in Saudi Arabia, the AlUla Tour is on the calendar. Teams are beginning to announce their lineups for these early-season races, so let's have a look.

Picnic PostNL is traditionally quick to confirm its selections, and this time around is no exception. The Dutch team will field five Dutch riders at the AlUla Tour, which is organized by the ASO. Frank van den Broek will lead the team in the general classification, while Fabio Jakobsen and Casper van Uden — who won a stage in last year’s edition — will focus on the sprints.

"It’s always a pleasure to start the season in the historic AlUla region. With a course perfectly suited to both sprinters and punchers, the conditions are ideal for an exciting race where talent and strategy come together," said Picnic PostNL coach Roy Cuvers.

"We’re bringing an experienced and versatile team to the race, fully committed to achieving success in the bunch sprints with Fabio. At the same time, we’ll be supporting Frank in his quest for a strong result in the GC," the coach added. Nils Eekhoff, Enzo Leijnse, Niklas Märkl, and John Degenkolb will provide support for Van den Broek, Jakobsen, and Van Uden.

Read more below the photo!

Pidcock to debut for Q36.5

Tom Pidcock will make his debut for his new team, Q36.5, at the AlUla Tour, which includes two stages designed for punchers. The British team leader will be joined by Xabier Mikel Azparren, Frederik Frison, Emils Liepins, Matteo Moschetti, Nicoló Parisini, and Nick Zukowsky in the Swiss team’s lineup.

Q36.5 has named Moschetti and Liepins as their sprinters, while Pidcock will aim for success on the Wirka Mountain stage and the ascent to the Harrat Uwayrid plateau. Quite a difference compared to the Cyclo-cross World Championships, which are set to take place in France next week.

At Q36.5, they push Moschetti and Liepins forward as sprinters, while Pidcock may take his chances on Wirka Mountain and toward the plateau of Harrat Uwayrid. And that's not a bit different from the cyclocross World Cup, which will also be held next week in France.

Picnic PostNL selection 2025 AlUla Tour

Frank van den Broek
John Degenkolb
Nils Eekhoff
Fabio Jakobsen
Enzo Leijnse
Niklas Märkl
Casper van Uden

Q36.5 selection 2025 AlUla Tour

Xabier Mikel Azparren
Frederik Frison
Emils Liepins
Matteo Moschetti
Nicoló Parisini
Tom Pidcock
Nick Zukowsky

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