If the morning is a good indicator of the day, The Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team announced just yesterday promises to bring an unexpected and new breath of fresh air (opening image from Instagram/Pinarello_Official). It's not about donning Superman's cape and transforming the honest Swiss professional, who finished 2025 in 19th place in the rankings, into a WorldTour rider. However, if Ivan Glasenberg, the South African magnate who among many acquisitions took for himself 80 percent of Pinarello and 45 percent of Q36.5, has decided to enter the field in such a sensational way, then perhaps it is not unthinkable that he wants to attempt the ascent.
The experience with Ineos
The news makes even more noise considering that The Venetian bike brand has historically and successfully been the flagship of the Ineos GrenadiersSince its foundation in 2010, with the British team he has won the yellow jersey seven times, the Giro three times and the Vuelta twice. An unspecified number of WorldTour stage races and the Hour record with Ganna. Precisely with the Piedmontese, yesterday Fausto Pinarello was in London for the two-day meeting promoted by Rouler.
"This partnership," commented Fausto Pinarello, intercepted on the plane before takeoff for Italy, "is more than a sponsorship: it's a shared vision. We are all part of the same corporate and three brands, with Q36.5 and Amackx supplementsOurs is the biggest, so it's right that it should be that way. It's not Ineos, it's still a professional team. Then to know if we will pass the WorldTour, we will have to wait a few weeks and understand what's happening with some teams that are closing down.
«The relationship with Ineos – he continues – remains absolutely the same. They always got along well with us and had no intention of changing the bikesWe just wanted to understand the shape, the quantity, understand how many riders they will have now that they finally set up the devo team and also the junior teamThe materials will be completely different, one will have Shimano and the other SRAM. Still top of the range, but with different equipment, except perhaps for the saddles due to previous contracts."
Pinarello's commitment
Pinarello is not new to the experience of having more than one team in the group, although the level of demands has risen compared to the years when it supplied bikes to Telekom, for example, and to Movistar.
«Work doesn't increase us that much – says Fausto – It's important to get organized and divide things upIf we have the perfect measurements, if we have everything under control, if we are prepared, all we need to do is get organized. It's not like we have to deliver 150 pieces tomorrow morningA little in November, a little in December, a little in January, rather than before the Giro d'Italia.
«Until the 90s – Pinarello continues – we also had three teams, none with the first name, but we had three teams in the group. Going even further back, you will remember the Del Tongo-Pinarello, the Metauro Mobili-Pinarello of Magrini and Vini Ricordi-PinarelloNever the first name, but my partner is very passionate about cycling and his passion leads us to do beautiful things. Pogacar will remain Pogacar, but we will try to maintain our commitment to cyclingI believe in this movement, even though it's a market without much excitement. Our job is to invest; we won't win the Tour, but the team has strengthened."
An important safe
Don't be fooled the fact that the first sponsor on the shirts will be a bicycle brand: an option that is usually associated with the difficulty in finding a worthy name. Behind Pinarello there is in fact the Swiss Spac, the safe through which Glasenberg also purchased 5 percent of Technogym for 90 million euros last year.
The agreement reached means that tom pidcock he will return to pedaling on Pinarello bikes, even on the road. Having left Ineos to join Q36.5, the Olympic and world mountain bike champion he conquered the podium of the Vuelta riding a Scott, but continued to race on Pinarello in all off-road specialties. It was he who developed the Dogma XC and Crossista models, which led him to his most prestigious results.
«I'm really happy – said the British rider – to return full-time to Pinarello. It really feels like coming homeI've always loved riding their bikes and, over the years, I've built a really strong relationship with the brand. It's the perfect reunion."
Bergamo's satisfaction
For Q36.5, its founder Luigi Bergamo and team manager Douglas Ryder it is a question of a hoped-for opening, but perhaps unexpected given the announced modalityRumors had long been circulating that the team would race on Pinarello bikes, but not that it would become the company's official team.
«As one of the co-founders – Bergamo explained – I'm really proud to see this little team grow year after year Thanks to all the dedication, commitment, sacrifice, and passion our riders and staff have shown. 2026 will be another big step forward, with the young riders who have been with us from the beginning maturing and becoming winners. Our Customers a podium in a Grand Tour, new great riders joining the team and of course, finally, our friends from Pinarello who are joining the project and they help us take it to another levelOur ambitions are very high."
The WorldTour in your sights?
The team's transfer market has been lively, especially with the arrival of riders of undoubted talent, but looking for a relaunchThe spring of revenge is often the turning point for athletes who move from the WorldTour to a professional team where, taking the high-quality equipment for granted, they will find above all a more human environment.
Is the goal to join the WorldTour right away by purchasing a free license? While waiting to see if it's possible, The turning point announced yesterday could certainly reopen the doors of the Giro d'Italia, in which Q36.5 participated this year for the first time. Despite the Swiss affiliation, the two names on the shirt speak of two solid Italian companiesThe new course led by Paolo Bellino will certainly take this into account.
