Saying Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team has undergone a transformation would be an understatement. In just a month, the Swiss squad has kicked off the 2025 season with six victories, revitalized Tom Pidcock to peak form, and watched the Briton claim four wins with renewed motivation. Rory Townsend, now teammates with the Olympic champion, reflects on the team’s remarkable progress.
“There’s an incredible atmosphere in the camp with the fresh faces we’ve added. Even something as simple as changing the kit makes everything feel new,” Townsend shared on the ‘Road.CC’ podcast. “But the biggest difference is obviously Tom. Suddenly, there’s a lot more attention on us.”
Pidcock’s unexpected signing followed a fallout with INEOS Grenadiers, and Q36.5 seized the chance to bring in a star, elevating themselves to a new level both in status and performance.
“In cycling, there’s a social hierarchy the top riders get more space at the front,” Townsend explained. “Having Tom with us gives the team a bit more respect in the peloton. Whether it’s psychological or something other teams consciously recognize, I think it lifts us up.”
Results suggest that’s exactly what’s happening. Matteo Moschetti and Fabio Christen have both taken impressive victories over World Tour competition, and Pidcock himself has already won almost as many races as he did during his four seasons with INEOS Grenadiers.
“He’s a bit of a maverick you can’t always predict what Tom will do on a bike. He, Mathieu [van der Poel], and Tadej [Pogacar] ride instinctively, in that old-school way. They can produce something incredible on any given day, even if it doesn’t fit the team’s race plan,” Townsend noted. “At Q36.5, Tom has more freedom. He can help build the team’s identity, similar to how Van der Poel turned Alpecin into a dominant force.”
Townsend also weighed in on Pidcock’s time at INEOS Grenadiers. “I just don’t think they used him in the right way. INEOS has been so successful that they stick to their formula ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.’ But cycling has changed. The Sky train is gone. They prefer Grand Tours, where everything can be planned, but the Classics where Tom shines are unpredictable.”
Pidcock had ambitions to become a Grand Tour contender, but that path hasn’t worked out. Balancing multiple disciplines made it difficult for him to secure major road victories in recent years. “INEOS saw his potential for Grand Tours, but he had other goals. Maybe it was like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.”
For Q36.5, however, the move has been a game-changer, and Townsend believes it has benefited Pidcock as well. “I can’t speak for him, but in our team, he has the ideal environment to chase his ambitions. From the outside, it might have seemed like a surprising choice, but from within the team, it made perfect sense. He’s not losing much by coming here.”
There were initial concerns about Pidcock joining a team with little experience racing against top-tier squads, but Q36.5 has made great strides toward competing with World Tour teams. “This team is run professionally. There are riders in the peloton who probably look at us and think, ‘I wish we had half of what those guys do.’ That creates an expectation to perform,” Townsend said.
“So, I don’t think our internal expectations have changed, we’ve always aimed high. The difference now is that we’re in a position to meet those expectations.”
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