Italian bike brand Pinarello has announced a new partnership with Swiss ProTeam Q36.5, which will see the team rebranded as Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team for the 2026 season.
The partnership was widely expected to come to fruition, given that Pinarello owner Ivan Glasenberg is a major investor in Q36.5. The deal puts the team's star Tom Pidcock back on Pinarello road bikes for the first time since he left Ineos Grenadiers.
The move marks the first time that Pinarello has taken on title sponsorship of a racing team since the brand sponsored British Continental team Pinarello Racing back in 2008.
Pinarello had already continued to supply Pidcock with bikes for his forays into cyclocross, mountain bike, and gravel, while Scott had supplied Q36.5 with bikes last season. Now he and the rest of the Pinarello-Q36.5 road team will race aboard Pinarello road bikes in 2026.
"I'm really happy to be back on Pinarello full-time. It genuinely feels like coming home. I've always loved riding their bikes, and over the years, I've built such a strong relationship with the brand. It's the perfect reunion," Pidcock said upon the announcement of the new deal.
"This partnership is more than a sponsorship – it's a shared vision," said Pinarello president Fausto Pinarello. "We're proud to take this step and bring the Pinarello name back to the front of the peloton as title sponsor. Together with Q36.5, we'll continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in cycling."
The deal means that Pinarello will be supplying two professional men's teams next year, with Ineos Grenadiers remaining aboard Pinarello bikes, too.
Last month, the British team announced that their deal with the Italian brand had been extended for three more seasons.
"As one of the co-founders, I am really proud to see this 'little team' grow year after year as a result of all the dedication, effort, sacrifice and passion our riders and staff have demonstrated," said Luigi Bergamo, CEO and head of product development at Q36.5.
"2026 will be another very big step forward, with the young riders who've been with us from the beginning maturing into winners, a Grand Tour podium under our belt, great new riders joining the squad, and of course, finally, our friends at Pinarello joining the project and helping take it to another level! Our ambitions are sky-high. See you soon in 2026!"
