Pinarello Q36.5 will start its first Tour de France with Tom Pidcock leading the Swiss ProTeam.

The 26-year-old Briton heads into the 2026 race after finishing third overall at the Vuelta a España last season. That result gave Pidcock his first Grand Tour podium and confirmed his place as the team’s central general classification option.

Pinarello Q36.5 already stepped into Grand Tour racing last year at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. The Tour now brings a larger platform for a team built around Pidcock’s versatility and attacking racing.

The squad also includes several proven stage hunters. British champion Fred Wright, Giro stage winner Chris Harper, Quinten Hermans, and Xandro Meurisse give the team options beyond overall ambitions.

Team principal Douglas Ryder said the selection combines experience, versatility, and the team’s preferred racing mindset. He said Pinarello Q36.5 plans to race proactively and seek chances across all three weeks.

Pinarello Q36.5 builds Tour team around Pidcock

Pidcock joined the ProTeam project for 2025 and missed the Tour de France last summer. He answered with a strong first season in new colours, capped by his Vuelta podium.

His recent results underline his range across one-day races, stage races, and mountainous terrain. He won a stage at the Ruta del Sol and then claimed victory at Milano-Torino.

Pidcock then delivered one of his best road performances at Milan-Sanremo. He finished second behind Tadej Pogačar after sprinting for the win.

A ravine crash at the Volta a Catalunya threatened to disrupt his campaign. He later returned with victory at the Tour of the Alps.

Illness ruled him out of the Tour de Suisse. He instead raced the Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica and won there.

Pidcock has not yet had a major mountain test this season. That leaves some uncertainty around his July form, despite his strong results elsewhere.

Experience and breakaway power across the roster

Hermans gives Pinarello Q36.5 another multi-discipline rider with Tour experience. The 30-year-old Belgian starts his second Tour de France, and his first since 2022.

Hermans once finished runner-up at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He also arrives after taking fifth overall at the Baloise Belgium Tour.

Meurisse brings further experience for long breakaways and rolling stages. The 34-year-old Belgian starts his sixth Grand Tour and fourth Tour de France.

He recently came close to ending a near five-year wait for victory. Jhonatan Narváez outsprinted him on stage 3 of the Tour de Suisse after they held off the breakaway.

Azparren adds another dependable Grand Tour rider. The 27-year-old Spaniard has four Grand Tours behind him and raced both the Giro and Vuelta last season.

This year, Azparren went up the road at the Amstel Gold Race. He also joined the break on the final stage of Tirreno-Adriatico.

Wright starts his sixth consecutive Tour de France after winning the British road title. He has often chased breakaway chances at the Tour.

His closest near miss came in 2022, when he finished second on a stage. This season, Wright raced the Classics and the Tour de Suisse, where he attacked on stage 2.

Brent Van Moer brings another strong breakaway profile. The 28-year-old Belgian claimed his only professional win in France at the 2021 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Van Moer starts his fifth Tour in six years. He should again animate stages when breakaway opportunities appear.

Harper gives the team climbing strength and Grand Tour depth. The Australian, 31, previously won a Giro d’Italia stage and will start his third Tour de France.

Harper raced aggressively at the recent Giro and finished 17th overall. He could target mountain stages from the break.

Damien Howson completes the listed team with extensive three-week experience. The 33-year-old Australian returns to the Tour for the first time since 2018.

The 2026 Tour will be Howson’s thirteenth Grand Tour. His climbing experience could help Pidcock and support stage-hunting plans.

Pinarello Q36.5 2026 Tour de France lineup

• Tom Pidcock — team leader and third overall at the Vuelta a España last season.
• Quinten Hermans — Belgian multi-discipline rider and former Liège-Bastogne-Liège runner-up.
• Xandro Meurisse — experienced Belgian starting his fourth Tour de France.
• Xabier Mikel Azparren — Spanish rider with four Grand Tours already completed.
• Fred Wright — British champion and regular Tour breakaway contender.
• Brent Van Moer — Belgian breakaway specialist starting his fifth Tour in six years.
• Chris Harper — Australian climber and former Giro d’Italia stage winner.
• Damien Howson — Australian climber returning to the Tour after eight years.

The selection gives Pinarello Q36.5 several ways to race. Pidcock provides the headline ambition, while the support cast can chase stages across varied terrain.

That balance should help the team stay visible throughout its Tour debut. It also allows Pidcock protection without removing attacking options elsewhere.

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