Tom Pidcock's Shock Exit to Q36.5 🚨 | Lanterne Rouge x JOIN Cycling

In this emergency episode of the Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast Patrick and Benji discuss Tom Pidcock's transfer to Q36.5.
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Credits:
Photos | Cor Vos (unless stated otherwise)
Profiles | La Flamme Rouge
Results | FirstCycling

[@frogeggsyeah5138]

Benji looking like a corrupt cop taking a meeting in his villa in Spain he bought with shady funds.

[@comtruise9779]

Oddly specific, but totally accurate

[@famousatmidnight15]

Looking like a random guy in a South American airport asking if you can take package in your carry on bag on his behalf

[@captaincaveman87]

Did Benji have to take a break from a shady business lunch?

[@davidsorensen1769]

BN looking like he’s in training for the role of Costa Brava Mob Boss 😂 … Sexy Beast 2 in filming?

[@peterfireflylund]

I wonder which country he is going to coup.

[@anwargorham]

@@peterfireflylund you mean which countries he's not going to coup? #gottacoupthemall

[@stephenfortune4632]

My wife said he looks like Mafia

[@erikcarlsson2518]

He is obviously doing some Dodgson deals near Isla Nublar.

[@emilegoguely4032]

Not Benji holding the mic like a gun with the Chapo shades on 😅

[@hernanhernandez3861]

Yes, or meeting the Escobar family to take over operations? 🤔 Hope he takes proceeds to buy a WT team...

[@henrikbergstrom62]

only missing the golden chain there B! love holiday benji

[@nicholasloduca6668]

I see some people saying this is the end of INEOS, but let's be real, Tom has not been delivering the wins that should be expected on his salary. Maybe more of that money can go into their new Dev team that they have FINALLY set up

[@Andy_ATB]

Er, don't you watch much cycling.....He's won plenty across 3 disciplines.........Another ignorant roadie gobshite.

[@cameroncook9450]

Holiday Benji is my fave benji

[@japphan]

Win-win-win situation. Ineos get rid of a big problem, a rider with an ego so much greater than his performance. Q36.5 get much needed points and exposure. Pidcock gets to ride smaller races where he can win a lot, and will never be forced to be a team player.

[@stephenfortune4632]

I can see the move working. Maybe Pidcock wants the ‘Alpecin mathieu van der poel’ vibe that was developed over past 4-5 years?

[@pb6010]

Exactly what I've been thinking. I think Pidcock as GC rider was always an Ineos aim rather than his.

[@MDP1702]

@@pb6010 I think he aimed for it too, but realised this year that is not going to work out. I can still see him trying GC in a couple years though if he believes he improved at it.

[@Maarten-y8h]

@@stephenfortune4632 A team just for him makes sense. Wonder if he is good enough to pull that off like MVDP did.

[@stephenfortune4632]

@@Maarten-y8hwill be an interesting watch indeed.

[@EMC2Scotia]

I guess this all depends on whether the rep that he isn't a team player is true or not. If true, then nothing like that will happen. If not, then slowly the team will attract top riders and things will grow.

[@Hbirdman1994]

Great as always guys, missed these podcasts

[@vladfromfrance]

Great pod. Eager to hear the Ineos preview now, because that's a big question now.

[@jeremya446]

"I like you, Tony. There is no lying in you." - Benji to scarface 5 min before this pod

[@francisyuweh706]

DELIVERED HOT!!!!

[@thisishowthetruthdies684]

You know it must be very toxic if Ineos walks away from a British rider.

[@Legionarivss]

In 2025 only 6/29 riders are British, that's just 20%. Most British talents aren't riding for Ineos. If you check their 2023 squad, Hart, E Hayter, Tulett, Pidcock all left. Bar from Watson they took over from Groupama, they didn't bring in any British talent ever since.

[@Maarten-y8h]

If he cost 2 million a year, they would cherish him. But he costs 4 million and is not worth that amount, period

[@PeerensClement]

@@Maarten-y8h Depends, if you value MTB and CX results, then he is worth it. Not as a pure road rider, he doesn't win enough.

[@Legionarivss]

@@PeerensClement Where in MTB Pidcock is extremely gifted, in cyclo cross he's competitive with the best of the rest riders. He has won the worlds for example, but that was purely due to the absence of van Aert&van der Poel. He never beat them simulateously in the cross. MTB does pretty solid number for a sport that's way more niche just like cyclo cross than road cycling is. With the UK also being massively interested in it. Which benefitted Ineos. But still for his salary, him riding the TdF and being competitive I reckon to always do way more. Which to be fair isn't saying much as TdF just is the most popular by far. But lets say he would fully focus on GC and would be competitive for the topspots in the other grand tours and gives a run for his money at the monuments, world cup etc. That would bring massive views. In road cycling his performances definitely don't warrant his salary remotely. He's on Evenepoel money. (who's arguably earning relatively too less in comparison to what he would earn if not at Quickstep) He earns the same as Adam Yates, who's a lot more valuable. Both for points and helping Pogačar on top. Ineos paid: Pidcock 2.7m Bernal 2.5m Rodriquez 2.5m They aren't getting the results for what they're paying. Context Bernal's contract stems from pre injury. Rodriguez did out perform both riders and is only 23.

[@OpusXtr]

Patrick being savage…. “…Come back to me when you’ve got six figures…”

[@vincentkrause7097]

First emergency podcast since Cav winning a stage in Turkey in 2021

[@koenverhelst5165]

27:42 Won his brabantse pijl vs WVA, won Amstel this year where MVDP was in top shape. Also, who does win when those guys are there..? He still is one of the 2-3 guys first in line to win a classic race without Pog, wva, mvdp and remco. His results prove that, podia in Amstel, LBL, Kuurne, DDV and Emilia after one of the big guns, even won strade when they werent there.

[@Legionarivss]

At 31min the discussion about Visma if they should've taken him in. Pros: - can win big races - succesful in MTB - has potential to get better Cons: - high salary - doesn't seem like a team player much - says things about the team - questionable motivation in a lot of races - potential harmony disturber For his salary you can sign multiple domestiques and likely he's on more money than for example Hirschi. Conclusion: I believe it to be a good signing indeed for Q36.5 if you compare it to their roster. But for a top 5 WT team I think they did great to pass on the opportunity.

[@indioshak]

The lad is so lost that he does not even know which team he signed with. In the announcement posted on X he says 33.5 instead of 36.5 and even more ridiculous is that both him and the team posted it.

[@AlessioPunzi]

3 is the difference. In millions

[@MrMattie725]

I'm just happy we didn't add another rider to the Redbull super team!

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

Here we goooo

[@kayhayes5114]

He was never going to another WT team or a pro tour team that has a very set direction as you said Q36.5 are stagnant they need someone to raise their profile maybe in not a traditional way for instance it might encourage other MTB riders to consider a cross over with them but they have got to do something different or they will die it’s a step in the right direction. I think it’s a win all round to be honest only time will tell. Ineos now have that big salary freed up and it’s probably too late for this season but it will help next season. Maybe invest some of it in coaching staff

[@janhuyse3257]

The Scott mtb 'performs well'? Nino Schurter has been riding the Spark for years and it's one of the best if not the best mtb out there. Pidcock will be over the moon with this bike.

[@ExplorinDoranRBrown]

Their xc racing bike the Spark is possibly the most advanced xc racing bike and their road bikes are incredible too. The Addict is about the lightest thing on the planet and the Foil is great aerodynamics

[@adeliacunningham7620]

Benji looking like a Bond villain...

[@frogeggsyeah5138]

Enekoitz Azparren actually was allright in 2022 but he stagnated at Euskatel. Top 25 in L'avenir in 2022. Top 15 in 2023 and this year nothing worked. I do like this transfer because the upsight could be there.

[@claire2088]

I feel like everyone would have a lot more sympathy for Pidcock vs 'the management' if we didn't all know and love Steve Cummings, Steve's always seemed like a genuinely lovely guy- and it feels like we'd have heard whispers if he wasn't a good egg (10+ years as a pro, at least 3 different teams and no one has anything except nice things to say about him) and he might have been part of the Ineos management structure but Pidcock having beef with specifically Steve seems odd. After the Lombardia stunt it's pretty clear that somewhere in the management change there's something very strange going on so any of the riders having a disagreement with management further up the chain wouldn't be a surprise, but cummings was closer to the rider end of the chain and Dempster made it clear at Lombardia that the decision had come down from above him which makes me think that whatever is messing it up is above the DS' position. I wonder if Cummings was jsut telling Pidcock hard truths? Like if he had surrounded himself with yes men (and he did have his own little island of staff within Ineos) then Cummings saying 'you should work for someone else' and basically saying Pidcock wasn't a strong enough rider to ride just for himself might have been some of the strongest criticism he received. And Pidcock isn't as good on the road as he is on a mountain bike, the advice you'd give WC Pidcock the mountain biker is going to be very much 'you can do anything Tom! you're the best!' while Pidcock the road racer realistically will be hearing 'you can't win this stage and/or overall GC is more important than your ambitions today so you need to support the team, you'll get your chance another day/race' and if you're used to hearing the first then maybe the second sounds unfair. Also, it was just horribly tacky to say that Ineos would do better at the tour without their DS there, Cummings had already been kicked off, Pidcock didn't need to shade him when Pidcock seemed to already have won whatever power struggle there was. That Ineos then went on to have their worst tour performance ever kinda shows that Pidcock doesn't necessarily know what he's talking about. Pidcock is a good individual racer, but road racing is a team sport.

[@nigelstead8424]

I think Tom did something that we don’t know about that made his future untenable. I know people say that he was dropped from Il Lombardia because Ineos didn’t want to pay him a bonus if he won, but that sounds a bit odd. I think they had made up their mind to sack him.

[@kevinberwick1567]

I've read Glasenberg is expected to bankroll his salary, estimated between €3-5 million annually

[@beaufortdalpage186]

37:25 Grumpy uncle Patrick :)

[@johnlinvill8819]

Having a legitimate team leader should make the whole team better. It adds to motivation going into races knowing your working for a rider that has a decent chance. That tv time break is now a tactical decision to get a rider up the road early. Riding the front is no longer laughably unnecessary but a timely decision. Now your bad leaders are now moderate lieutenants and undeserving co-captains are moderate domestiques!!!

[@manx1569]

Patrick slurring words like he's had a few Rouge Wines

[@matthewbenger8355]

Beni in Tenerife? In the TenBel region? Dodgy area where all the Belgians go and Philipsen has a house

[@gone4aride]

He’ll still be on Pinarello for cx and MTB.

[@Lion-wd1px]

benji 😎

[@gsipp00]

Nino Schurter rides Scott in MTB they have a decent bike available.

[@HeidiLandRover]

Benji looking like Carlos The Jackal.

[@ewanwelsh4339]

Pidcock might as well has signed for Manchester Wheelers.

[@chrisrodgers4950]

Pidcock never had a chance at GC or any classics. He’s a failed experiment to replicate a Wout/MVDP rider and he is now on a fitting team. Hopefully Ineos can buy some wins now

[@bababaanarama]

I think he could reach remcos lvl in the mountains if he commits to it, but in overall he is also would lagging behind cause of TT.

[@MDP1702]

@@bababaanarama Remco's peak level in the mountains is pretty insane, I doubt Pidcock can reach that. And eitherway Pidcocks climbing is inconsistent, especially on the hard mountain stages.

[@chrisrodgers4950]

If Pidcock was a force in the mountains we would know by now

[@bababaanarama]

​@@chrisrodgers4950 You were writing about MvdP and vanaert. These haver different bodytyps and transition wasn't hard for them. Pidcock never could go the same way, cause he lagging in behind with max output, but have the weight advantage. Height und Weight are close to Remco, so as an big talent he is. i think it would be possible to come close to that lvl. But with competing in classics, cx, mtb and mostly domestique roles there is ne specialization.

[@chrisridesbicycles]

It makes sense for most of it. He will not win a grand tour and now he is free from Ineos who still think they are Sky and competing for it. The bike situation is interesting. Nobody in the MTB world buys a Pinarello, that's an item for rich county club billionaire dudes, not a MTB brand. Scott on the other hand is deeply rooted in XC MTB and have been on the forefron of technical development forever plus their poster boy Nino Schurter is 38 years old and will leave a gap when he retires, so ideal for them. Ineos however - when G retires, it's not looking great.

[@musicman5075]

I guess Tom will ride the races he is good at in the way he wants to race them and will not need that much support when he does, just like at Ineos. On the upside on other days he will not have to expend energy trying to support whoever Ineos deems to be a GC contender in whatever tour even if they are only 8th on GC at the time

[@bens.6458]

Very well said! He is the top dog! The expectations are much lower too.

[@jordywilliams]

Reminds of when Sagan went to Bora

[@quinncooney9081]

more like sagan to total energies

[@joelecho]

@@quinncooney9081 Eh, Sagan was on the decline by then. Pidcock is still the best XC mountain bike racer in the world. He didn't turn into MvDP or Wout on the road, but that hardly means he's washed.

[@davidhall4463]

With no TdF wildcard, doesnt he become the presumptive favourite for Unbound Gravel and Leadville MTB? No UCI points but could be big for the sponsors.

[@Thaddeus_Howe]

Definitely Leadville, but I don’t think he would be an overwhelming favorite at Unbound.

[@joelecho]

@@Thaddeus_Howe His MTB skills and climbing combined would absolutely make him a favourite at Leadville but I agree, unbound is a different thing. It's too flat for Tom to be a favourite I think. Wout or MvDP certainly would be, but unbound, to me, is a bit of a big-engines race.

[@gsipp00]

This late transfer obviously limited his options..so short term bridge contract but why three years? What are the bigger races he will be allowed to ride?

[@mathewlynch583]

Benji looking like Piddock agent 😎

[@Ksen-pg7se]

This transfer is a mystery to me. Why didn't RedBull sign him instead of Van Gils for example? I really hope he gets a decent program and has a lot of success but it's probably the fourth or fifth most attractive Pro Team and I'm not convinced Pidcock alone will get them that many invitations to races.

[@kayhayes5114]

Rouleur put out an article this morning. Give it a read I think it kind of encapsulates the decision quite well. I agree it will be either brilliant or a disaster we will have to wait and see. Pidcock has a plan clearly GTs and stage racing is just not important to him. Whether this team prosper or suffer from his program is a risk but one they are willing to take I guess anything is better than what they are doing right now

[@PeacefulRallyCar-pw3cs]

Have to wonder if the generally disastrous economic situation in Europe isn't the real reason. The second richest man in Britain might be paper mache. Unless the backers are from east of the sahara, there may be more "roster adjustments "

[@Ksen-pg7se]

@@PeacefulRallyCar-pw3cs The team budgets in cycling have gone way up over the last few years and I think Van Gils will get a pretty fat deal at Red Bull-Bora. Maybe Q36.5 could offer Pidcock more than RBB was willing to to but if I was Pidcock I would have taken a huge pay cut to go to RBB. So I think either RBB wasn't interested, Pidcock wanted more money or didn't vibe with the team, or something legal/sponsors/Ineos related came in the way.

[@PeacefulRallyCar-pw3cs]

@@Ksen-pg7se a lot of speculation of course. TP has chosen money over his off-road interests. The pessimistic scenario is that life on a 2nd tier team will be miserable. He may have been better off leaving rr and gone native as we say.

[@MDP1702]

1. Pidcock doesn't seem a teamplayer, RB might not like that, Van Gils imo might be more willing to work for the team. 2. RB already has riders for Pidcocks role, so they don't necessarily need him (and Pidcock might not like the internal competition). 3. Pidcock probably is more expensive than Van Gils currently. 4. Pidcock might not have wanted to go to RB precisely because he wants more freedom/a team build around him, a bit like MVDP Alpecin situation.

[@gsipp00]

What's better winning a stage in a TDF or a second tier spri g classic.. i think gc probably unrealistic but his type fully cable of gt stages😂

[@czeckson74]

Benji looking like Stevie Wonder (at the beginning)

[@burronorteno]

All parties got what they wanted. I think INEOS is the big winner by getting a distraction off their books. Pidcock is a talented rider but cycling is a team sport and without a strong team and his dabbling in MTB and CX he will never reach his potential let alone win a Grand Tour. He's a big fish in a small pond.

[@d9dga]

14:57 Lets not forget, Pidcock isn't necessarily a "team rider" and not a great stage racer. He's gone to 36.5 to be a one-day lone wolf. Good luck to him

[@FishingonChesil]

I bet there is an exit clause after 1 year !

[@kevinberwick1567]

This is my take on the matter hahaha 🤣 They wanted him, they were in the position to pay him, it was just a matter of how much. Ivan Glasenberg is a major financial backer of the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team owner Glasenberg is the owner of the Q36.5 clothing brand and the team itself. Pinarello investor Glasenberg also has a majority stake in Pinarello, the bike brand that Q36.5's current bike partner Scott is locked into with until at least 2025. Pidcock's signing Glasenberg is expected to have bankrolled the signing of Tom Pidcock to the team, boosting the team's budget to do so. Glasenberg's influence on the team could also determine which bike Pidcock rides in the future. Glasenberg is a South African mining billionaire and former CEO of Glencore. Ivan Glasenberg also lived in Australia in the 1980s as the head of Glencore's Asian coal division, however resides in Switzerland these days.

[@kevinberwick1567]

I'm guessing Tom should be happier there as he would now be considered the absolute top dog, king pin now, hopefully they can score the points with him and make their way to the WT, best of luck to him and the team

[@kevinberwick1567]

I jumped the gun before listening to the whole pod before leaving my post on the team owner etc etc 😂

[@AlessioPunzi]

I have a gift voucher from the actual q36.5 factory store in Bolzano, Italy. I wonder if I’ll get less bang for my buck now that they have to foot that massive salary.

[@peterwilliams4456]

Now Ineos needs to move on Bernal. Than you 6 or 7 million to get a remco type.

[@rayF4rio]

The Lombardia incident was nasty. It feels like Ineos did not want to give Pidcock any chance of getting a big result before he left. Ineos is now the Pariah of the Peleton.

[@samtheman1893]

now?

[@MDP1702]

Or you know, something else was happening that caused them to cut him from Lombardia and that was the final straw for Pidcock? Overall it did seem Pidcock isn't exactly a team player and has been in conflict with management for a longer time. Ineos wouldn't just let a good/great British rider go unless there were big problems. They even seemed to try eleviate his concerns overtime, so for them doing that Lombardia while he was looking good and Ineos not having had the best season must have had a big reason.

[@secularist1969]

Beach Benji, Best Benji...

[@Adz01992]

I think a big part of the Tom situation is that when Bernal crashed he was their only option left so they tried to force him into a position he didn’t want to be in. Now he gets to ride the races he wants with a team that’s focused on him.

[@nigelstead8424]

Tom has consistently said that he wanted to be a Tour de France GC rider. On multiple occasions. This idea that Ineos forced him into it is complete nonsense.

[@studio_TLC]

Amazing news for Scott for a year at least! Also, with a summer off from the Tour to prepare for a very hilly worlds, is this Pidcock’s best chance to achieve his previously stated goal of being concurrent World Champ in CX, MTB, and Road…as well as Olympic champ?

[@TulaneAve]

Meh...Pitcock doesnt seem committed to being his best on the road where he's got lots of competition. Now he can focus more on winning off-road in the races where MVDP and WVA dont show.

[@pb6010]

I think he's absolutely committed to the races he wants to race. But Ineos were desperate to turn him into their next GT GC hope. But I suspect he'd rather MVDP's palmares than, say, Jai Hindley's.

[@Andy_ATB]

Oh dear - do you watch much MTB racing? He beats MvdP pretty easily, and Wout wouldn't be good enough technically if he ever tried it......

[@LukasHridesbikes]

Maxim Van Gils should fill his spot on Ineos

[@odd-devices]

1:40 when Q36 killed their North American team out of nowhere a month or so ago I thought wow could it be? Take the careers away from 20 or however many riders to free up funds one millionaire rider?

[@lordofthemound3890]

Exit to WHERE?

[@robincameron]

People rightly commenting on Benji's powerful fit. Let's also shout out Patrick looking like he's running a coup in Latin America for the CIA.

[@dominicbritt]

Didn’t Ineos just hire a chunk of Q3.65 management? 😂 Ineos will be delighted to get all that budget back for 2025… No other World Tour Teams obviously went in for him… I reckon it was always a problem with him not showing up to Grand Tours fully prepared and subsequently not having the endurance to be competitive…

[@leighgoodwin1726]

I think Benji is a ‘glass half full’ kind of guy. This is a backward step for Pidcock however you look at it - salary, strength of team on the road, technology/equipment. Pidcock had a lot of freedom to pick his discipline and races while at INIOS. At Q36.5 he has to be a points machine

[@ericflanders9442]

Q36.5 is definitely a cyborg boy band.

[@jamesporter5630]

Q36.5 “has not signed anyone who has improved…”. Add Pidcock to the list.

[@escgoogle3865]

HOT take, Benji gets a gig as a mob(cop) movie extra but is fired because he can't stop giggling.

[@rolopolo66]

I like Pidcock a lot, but I can’t see how he’s going to win anything at Q36.5

[@leightonbohl1920]

Pidcock’s size will always limit his potential success in the Tour (or 3 week tours). Ineos were disingenuous, to say the least, to promise to support him and then demand that he sacrifice any chances he had by making him into a climbing domestique. Clearly Pdk knows his limitations and knows which way the wind is blowing. He knows his limitations and knows he has to choose his ground. After all, he’s come up against the big watt heavy hitters enough times with limited success. Short of doping himself silly, he has to choose his ground, as I said. Good video, as always with informed opinion.

[@phillippitts6294]

Q36.5 just wasted a bunch of money.

[@crompensation]

Pidcock to jayco couldn’t happen after Jayco signed Cummings

[@dobster5819]

Isn’t Amstel gold a classic.

[@psnSupergrobi10]

Pidcock is making it very hard to be a fan of him tbh

[@Houby1198]

You keep saying the team isn't growing or wasn't until pidcock arrived- even if there were no new investors, could it be that management t realised that they would only attract sponsors with a rider who will garner recognition? Likewise you won't attract piscock level domestiques or teammates with the promise of "pidcock is probably coming", so they have realised if they don't want to stay stagnated, they need to kick-start something g and invest in a big name rider? NB I know next to nothing about the machinations of funding cycling teams, just seeking clarification

[@sveng5319]

Bye Pidcock. Let‘s turn back to World Tour.

[@stickmenkissarmy6907]

If peacock wanted to leave the other team, he shouldn't get the money from the other team. He should have to just take what the other team gives him. You should be making three friggin million dollars a year that is b*******

[@dickieblench5001]

He lacks raw power 😢

[@pogiwoggy]

Pidcock mad overrated on the road

[@robertm1552]

He’s done

[@huntingsynth]

Scott cyclocross bike…ughhh

[@philipdaughtrey5455]

The thing you have both missed…….. his brother Joe has been wanting a pro contract. He was at Trinity and they have gone for 2025. I’d stake my house on Joe Pidcock also having signed with Tom having applied pressure a la Peter Sagan/Nairo Quintana.

[@LanterneRougeCyclingPodcast]

We heard he’s indeed going there too 😉 - Luc

[@philipdaughtrey5455]

@@LanterneRougeCyclingPodcastthat will have played a big part in his decision

[@gregorzibert4134]

The most overrated road cyclist at the moment. He's like Phil Foden, everybody talks about him just because he's English.

[@Andy_ATB]

Another roadie prat who is clueless.......

[@IamPapaShaw]

🥱 💤

[@jgogl9791]

Career suicide. "Strong" character?

[@msemmahale4608]

What’s with the stupid microphones? You don’t have a mic holder?

[@LanterneRougeCyclingPodcast]

This is an EMERGENCY podcast