"I believe it is possible": Pidcock and Q36.5 in search of winning a grand tour

It seems increasingly certain that the podium achieved in La Vuelta could represent a total turning point in Tom Pidcock's preparation. Now, both he and his coach and performance manager at Q36.5, Kurt Bogaerts, have full confidence, not only in repeating what was done in La Vuelta but also in closing the gap that separates him from the top of the podium.

The podium in La Vuelta makes Tom Pidcock dream of reaching the highest step of a three-week race podium

The last week must have been a mix of euphoria and sensations for Tom Pidcock and his team. Achieving a podium in a Grand Tour for a Pro Tour team is something within reach of very few. However, as was already glimpsed at the beginning of the year, the change of environment and work style, the tranquility and confidence provided by Q36.5, or being able to work exactly as he sees fit has meant that the performance of the British cyclist, discreet until now on the road despite having achieved some notable victories, has improved significantly in 2025.

His lifelong coach, who came to Q36.5 alongside him, keeps a cool head but with a good dose of optimism after his pupil's performance in La Vuelta "This is just La Vuelta, but it is a step in the right direction for Tom with the numbers he was achieving. His body has received the signal that he is capable of recovering from one stage to another."

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In any case, he does not hide that the gap to the top of the podium, 3 minutes in La Vuelta, is a significant distance to close and that hard work will be needed to achieve it, although he is optimistic and confident that it is within reach of a Tom Pidcock who, at 26 years old, still has room for improvement and is about to enter the age at which cyclists usually reach their peak performance.

Pidcock himself expressed a similar sentiment "The work we have done and the way the team has supported me give me more confidence than ever that I can win a Grand Tour. It is probably the biggest achievement of my career so far. This third place feels like a victory and makes me believe that I can strive for more in the future."

For now, Q36.5 has already started to step up its efforts to better support Tom Pidcock in the Grand Tours, incorporating Chris Harper and Eddie Dunbar for 2026, as well as Fred Wright who will take on the responsibility of the classics next spring to relieve pressure when looking for results for Pidcock, allowing him to focus better on the work needed to prepare for the three-week races.

However, we cannot forget that Q36.5 is a Pro Team and, prior to La Vuelta, pending a more recent update of the world rankings, it was not among the top three teams of the year that will have the right to invitations to all World Tour events next season. If they fail to reach that position, Q36.5's participation in the Grand Tours, as it has been this year, would be subject to the wildcards available to race organizers, which, in principle, would complicate Tom Pidcock's preparation for these events.