Pidcock to miss Tour de France

Britain’s Tom Pidcock says he will not contest this year’s Tour de France with his new Q36.5 team.

Following three successful years with the top British team, the 25-year-old left Ineos Grenadiers in December.

He told BBC Sport, “We’ll take a year off from the Tour and try to reach the Tour 2026.”

“I’m happy I’ve got a year out from it… a break. When I come back it’ll be with a refreshed energy”.

Pidcock’s Swiss-based ProTeam are currently in cycling’s second tier, below the World Tour where each of the 18 teams are automatically invited to the sport’s biggest races, including the three three-week Grand Tours.

“We don’t have full control over the calendar – have to get invited]to races]”, added Pidcock. However, we should have all of my races, theoretically speaking.

He claimed one of the Tour’s most iconic stages in 2022, on stage 12’s race to Alpe d’Huez, where he famously reached speeds of nearly 100km/h during the descents.

In addition to two Olympic mountain bike gold medals for Great Britain, Pidcock has also won the Strade Bianche, Amstel Gold, and Brabantse Pijl one-day classic races in an Ineos jersey.

Q36.5 are widely expected to be invited to many of the sport’s top races this year and beyond, thanks to Pidcock’s signing, and strong financial backing.

Every three years, teams can be promoted and promoted between the World Tour and ProTeam levels under the supervision of the sport’s governing body, which uses a points-based system.