"It was just business, nothing personal": Pidcock will start the season on January 28 and talks about his departure from INEOS

The UAE Tour, which will take place starting on January 28th, will be the debut date for Tom Pidcock with Q36.5, a campaign in which the British rider will not be present at the Tour de France. Pidcock spoke about all of this and his departure from INEOS at the official presentation of the Swiss team.

Tom Pidcock ready to start his new stage at Q36.5

A few days ago, during the official presentation of the Q36.5 team for the 2025 season that has just begun, he finally spoke after months of silence in the midst of the earthquake that was his departure from what had been his home throughout his sports career.

However, Pidcock made it clear that there was no specific situation that triggered the departure, but it was the consequence of a situation that deteriorated little by little over a difficult year for both him and INEOS Grenadiers.

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In any case, there seems to be no resentment towards his former team after the departure. "It was time to change. I accepted it a long time ago," pointed out the cyclist, who mentioned that he signed his contract with different people than those who now run the team, which created some difficulty in clear reference to fitting his dedication to mountain biking on the road.

However, the English cyclist highlighted that the team's behavior was exemplary and had full support to face his goals despite the team having other motivations and objectives. "What happened was business and nothing personal"

Tom Pidcock also spoke about the surprising decision to join a Pro Tour team like Q36.5, the second division of cycling, which means not having guaranteed participation in all races on the calendar.

A signing that was due to several circumstances, starting with Pidcock already knowing Doug Ryder, director of Q36.5, who was looking for a big signing to raise the team's level in 2025. "From the first moment, I decided I was going to come here. They believe in me, share that vision of success, and also the freedom to compete with my bike," concluded the British rider.

In any case, competing in a second-tier team will not be a problem for Tom Pidcock, even though it is already certain that he will not be at the Tour de France. However, he has invitations to the main spring races, including the Ardennes classics where, we remember, Pidcock is the reigning champion of the Amstel Gold Race.