Pinarello owner emerges in rumours of a potential Campagnolo takeover

Campagnolo could be on the verge of one of the most important changes in its history, and for months rumors have circulated about Ivan Glasenberg's interest, owner of Pinarello and Q36.5, in acquiring the historic Italian component brand.

The owner of Pinarello, after Campagnolo: rumors about a possible purchase gain strength

To understand the significance of such an operation, one must first look at where Campagnolo was and where it is now.

For decades, the Vicenza company was one of the great technological references in cycling. Its groups occupied the bicycles of the best teams and riders in the world, and outside of competition, mounting a Campagnolo transmission represented for many enthusiasts access to one of the most exclusive products on the market.

But Shimano first and SRAM later gained ground while Campagnolo lost presence both in series setups and in professional cycling. The situation reached a particularly symbolic extreme in 2024, when Campagnolo completely disappeared from the WorldTour. The brand returned to the top category in 2025 thanks to its agreement with Cofidis, but the French team continues to be its only showcase within the big peloton.

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Along with the loss of sporting presence, significant economic difficulties have arisen. At the end of 2025, we learned that Campagnolo accumulated more than 24 million euros in losses between 2023 and 2025 and was considering a significant staff reduction. Ultimately, the company reached an agreement with the unions to avoid layoffs, although it confirmed that it was undergoing a deep internal restructuring.

It is precisely in this context that information began to emerge about the search for new partners capable of providing financial stability to the company.

Campagnolo is also trying to reinvent its catalog

The economic problems coincide, paradoxically, with one of the most active recent periods for Campagnolo in terms of product.

The company has once again bet on innovation in its high-end range with the Super Record Wireless 13-speed, and other components, while trying to expand its audience with less exclusive alternatives. The most recent example is the new Record 13, which uses much of the technology from the Super Record but significantly reduces the price.

In other words, Campagnolo seems to have already begun a transformation both in business and product. And it is precisely in the middle of that process that the name Ivan Glasenberg appears.

Glasenberg already controls Q36.5 and Pinarello

Glasenberg is not just any investor in the cycling industry. The South African billionaire, former CEO of the mining giant Glencore and a great cycling enthusiast, has been building an important project around this sport over the past few years.

He owns the Italian clothing brand Q36.5, and his involvement has been fundamental in the ambitious growth of the professional team of the same name. One of the most important moves was the arrival of Tom Pidcock at Q36.5 after leaving INEOS.

But the operation that really placed Glasenberg among the major owners in the industry was the purchase of Pinarello, one of the most prestigious and historic Italian bicycle brands.

Now, the next name that appears related to him is Campagnolo.

Rumors are growing

Rumors about a possible purchase of Campagnolo by the owner of Pinarello have been circulating for some time, and during stage 10 of the Vuelta a España 2026, an interesting conversation took place in this regard during the RTVE broadcast.

While Pedro Delgado was explaining how Campagnolo had gone from being an absolute reference during his time as a professional to having a much smaller presence in the current peloton, the Tour de France winner and two-time Vuelta champion began to receive messages related precisely to the future of the Italian company.

As Delgado himself explained during the broadcast, among those who wrote to him were several former professional cyclists who are still involved in cycling. Both pointed to the rumors about the acquisition of Campagnolo by the owner of Pinarello, and by the way Delgado conveyed those messages live, the possibility that the operation is advanced gained even more strength.

For now, there is no information to confirm the purchase, but the rumors continue to grow.

An operation that would completely change the future of Campagnolo

If confirmed, Glasenberg's arrival could represent a new beginning for one of the most important brands in the history of cycling.

In addition to providing the necessary financial backing to accelerate the transformation that Campagnolo has already begun, the operation would create a group with some of the most recognized Italian brands in the sector, with Pinarello in bicycles, Q36.5 in textiles, and Campagnolo in transmissions and wheels.

It would also open up an obvious possibility of seeing Campagnolo on the bicycles of Pinarello-Q36.5.

In fact, there is already a precedent for how Glasenberg has used his different investments to build a common project. The Q36.5 team previously competed on Scott bicycles, but after finishing existing commitments, it switched to using Pinarello, and the brand even ended up being incorporated into the official name of the team.

With nothing confirmed, what seems clear is that significant movements are taking place around Campagnolo. A company that for decades set the technological pace of cycling is now undergoing a profound transformation.