This page covers Tom Pidcock's 2026 season race-by-race, including results, roles, key moments, and incidents for each race. Each entry is a spoiler for the corresponding race. Read no further if you intend to watch any of them unspoiled.
Tom Pidcock's first spring at Pinarello-Q36.5 after a decade in INEOS colours was the season of the right calls landing one place short. Strade Bianche was the warm-up — seventh, in the chase group at +1:30, the Pinarello kit a clean visual shift but no result yet. Milano-Sanremo was the moment. Held the Cipressa selection with Pogačar and Van der Poel, was the only rider who could match Pogačar's Poggio acceleration, took the two-up sprint to the line — and lost by what Cyclingnews called centimetres. Then Eschborn-Frankfurt: second again, this time on the same time as Zimmermann's home-soil win, the 12-rider front group resolving without quite Pidcock's kick.
The pattern of the spring — get into the right move, ride the right wheels, finish behind the rider you most needed to beat — would have looked like a Pinarello-Q36.5 brochure complaint if any one of those margins had been larger. Centimetres at Sanremo is not a tactical critique. The Tour de France in July and an autumn calendar still pointing at GP Québec/Montréal/Lombardia leave plenty of room for the next-finish-position upgrade.
Pidcock's smaller Pinarello-Q36.5 squad completes the TTT with the climber at +57''. A mountain-stage focus rather than GC challenge is likely from this starting position.
Pidcock's Pinarello-Q36.5 squad completes the TTT with the British climber at +57'' — a significant gap that reflects a smaller team's TTT limitations. Pidcock will be targeting mountain stages and breakaway opportunities rather than an overall challenge.
Second again. After Milan-San Remo by centimetres, Pidcock's spring of close calls continues — Eschborn-Frankfurt second behind Zimmermann.
After his near-miss on Stage 1 and his recent Catalunya crash, Pidcock got the timing exactly right in Arco, launching his sprint at the perfect moment to beat Dati after the late catch of the break. A statement win for the Q36.5 leader confirming his form ahead of the Ardennes — and a reminder of his class on a punchy reduced-group finish.
Pidcock used the Tour of the Alps to rebuild after his Volta a Catalunya crash, going close on Stage 1 before winning Stage 3 in Arco with a perfectly timed sprint. He animated the final-stage break aggressively and finished seventh overall, leaving for the Ardennes with his form and confidence confirmed.
Returning from his Volta a Catalunya crash, Pidcock got a perfect lead-out onto the Brandjochstraße ramp but couldn't hold off Dati's slipstream acceleration in the final 150 metres. A near-miss on day one that hinted his form was already back — confirmed two days later with his Stage 3 win.
Pidcock raced the Superga finale on the front foot, throwing in attacks during the transition phase to keep the race honest rather than waiting for a controlled sprint. When Roglič and Uijtdebroeks both failed to make their late moves stick inside the final kilometre, he held his nerve and launched with around 600 metres to go, opening an immediate gap on the steep gradient that no one could close. A debut win at Italy's oldest classic.
First major race in Pinarello-Q36.5 colours; finished seventh from the chase group. A clean opener; the bigger statement would come at Milano-Sanremo two weeks later when he came within centimetres of beating Pogačar.
Pidcock saved his ride for the decisive final stage and produced the move of the race: a sharp acceleration on the last ascent of the Alto de la Primera Cruz that no one could follow. He crested alone and used his descending to consolidate, soloing to victory in Lucena. The win, with its finishing-line bonus, lifted him from outside the top five onto the final GC podium in third at +0:27 — a strong early-season statement for the Pinarello-Q36.5 project.
Pidcock bided his time through the sprint days and produced the ride of the race on the final mountain stage, attacking on the last ascent of the Alto de la Primera Cruz, dropping everyone and soloing to victory in Lucena. The win and its time bonus carried him from outside the top five onto the overall podium in third at +0:27 — a strong early-season result for the new Pinarello-Q36.5 project.