Q36.5 aiming for Grand Tour debut at Giro d'Italia, says Doug Ryder

The Swiss second division team Q36.5 are aiming to make their Grand Tour debut via a wildcard slot at May's Giro d'Italia, team boss Doug Ryder has said, with the Vuelta a España also in their – and Tom Pidcock's – sights.

The team is aiming high heading into their third year at ProTeam level, having brought multi-discipline star Pidcock aboard after the Brit broke his Ineos Grenadiers contract three seasons early.

While Q36.5 has, over the past two seasons, taken part in numerous WorldTour events – including Strade Bianche, Paris-Roubaix, the Critérium du Dauphiné, and the Tour de Suisse – they have yet to race a Grand Tour.

Ryder, who previously oversaw the now-defunct Qhubeka/Dimension Data team, told WielerFlits that they're hoping to race the Giro this year, with the Vuelta a España also in their sights and a Tour de France debut the goal for 2026.

"We have big ambitions, even though we are the only team in the top 25 of the UCI Ranking that has not ridden in a Grand Tour in the last two seasons," Ryder said. "We want a better ranking, to ride more important races.

"A wildcard for the Giro d'Italia is the most realistic now, with our Italian partners. But the Vuelta a España would also be fantastic. Our big goal is to be at the start of the Tour de France in 2026. Because of the many stages we [Qhubeka – Ed.] have won and the yellow jersey, we know that value."

Wildcard spots for the Grand Tours have yet to be announced, though all three races usually announce them during January and February. The top two-ranked ProTeams from 2024 – Lotto and Israel-Premier Tech – receive automatic invites to all WorldTour races this season, though the Belgian squad have already opted out of the Giro, opening a third spot Q36.5 will hope to take.

Ryder said that his team hasn't yet received invitations from the big organisers ASO and RCS Sport, but with Pidcock on board, Q36.5 will likely spend a lot of time at WorldTour races in 2025.

"Commitments for major races are lacking for now. Besides, Tom cannot start everywhere; we respect his choices," Ryder said. "The big difference now is that people call me, instead of me calling to ask for a wildcard.

"The most important races simply want the best riders, for the best show. With Tom on board, we get the chance to discover our potential for the next WorldTour cycle of 2026-2028.

"In any case, I will be at RCS Sport for the Giro on Monday and I hope to know more then. And recently Tom himself was at the presentation of the Vuelta route."

Ryder, Pidcock, and the team have lofty ambitions, but the manager acknowledged that this season will also be one of transition. He admitted that the team likely won't make the WorldTour in 2026 as Lotto and Israel lead the way in the rankings. For now, making their mark at the Classics and one, or both, of those Grand Tours is the goal.

"But 2025 is mainly a big transition year. We are mainly looking at Arkéa-B&B Hotels and XDS-Astana, but we also know that we will not be a WorldTour team next year because of our deficit to Lotto and Israel-Premier Tech," Ryder said.

"We do know what we want and will focus on that. Our program runs until March. Tom wants to make his mark in the classifications. He wants to be in the top 5 in the world. After Opening Weekend, we will work with him towards the Ardennes Classics.

"We will try to win stages at the Giro. At the Vuelta, we'll go for the classification with Tom. That is our ambition and Tom wants that too. We believe in that potential."