Pinarello-Q36.5 confirmed Czech sprinter Pavel Bittner will join the roster to start the 2027 season, the 23-year-old signing for two years.
It's another substantial rung in the ladder for the Swiss WorldTour team, which signed AlUla-Jayco's Mauro Schmid earlier this month on a three-year deal. The win for the top-ranked ProTeam is a major loss for WorldTour squad Picnic-PostNL, where Bittner developed into a top talent.
Bittner is one of the top performers for the Dutch squad this year, with six top 10s - including second at Scheldeprijs, third at Bredene Koksijde Classic and fifth on a Tour de France stage among his individual race results. He has been the most productive UCI producer for the team so far this season with 580.
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"Over the last couple of seasons I've become a more complete rider. I've learned to stay calmer in the decisive moments and I know there's still another step to take. My ambition is to become a consistent winner, fight for victories in the biggest races and keep improving every year," Bittner said in a Pinarello-Q36.5 statement on Monday.
"From the outside I could already see how much this team has grown over the last couple of seasons. Every conversation confirmed the same feeling: it's an ambitious project, but also one where people genuinely enjoy racing together. That family atmosphere really mattered to me because I believe you perform at your best when you truly enjoy the environment you're part of."
At the pro level, Bittner has ridden exclusively in the Picnic-PostNL organisation, beginning on the development squad in 2021 as a teenager. He moved to the WorldTour level when the squad was Team DSM, and began to flash his speed with significant impact in 2024, winning stage 5 at the Vuelta a España in a sprint in Sevilla and then going second on stage 17, a hilly stage that showcased his growing consistency on varied terrain.
"At just 23 years of age he has already experienced two Tour de France campaigns, won a Grand Tour stage and continued to show remarkable progression this season. We believe his best years are still ahead of him," said Doug Ryder, team principal at Pinarello-Q36.5.
"And we're excited to support his development as he continues his journey towards becoming one of the leading sprinters in professional cycling."
Bittner and Schmid officially become teammates with Tom Pidcock at Pinarello Q36.5 on January 1, 2027.
"Pavel represents exactly the type of rider we want to build our future around. His talent has never been in question, but what impressed us most is his mindset. He's ambitious, analytical and constantly looking for ways to improve, qualities that fit perfectly with the culture we are building as a team."
Cyclingnews will cover all of the 2026 cycling transfers from around the men's and women's pelotons with news, analysis, and an updated transfer index, to make sure you don't miss a thing this transfer season.
