Tom Pidcock to ride Giro d’Italia for first time as Q36.5 squad receive wildcard

The Brit will likely target a mix of stages and the general classification at the year’s first Grand Tour

Pidcock has never made an appearance at the senior Giro but won the U23 edition five years ago (EPA)

Tom Pidcock will ride the Giro d’Italia for the first time as a senior after his Q36.5 team were among those granted wildcards to the year’s first Grand Tour.

The Brit won the under-23 edition, known as the ‘Baby Giro’, in 2020, but never entered the senior edition when he was with his previous team, Ineos Grenadiers.

Pro team Q36.5 were among the four squads operating at the level below the elite World Tour to receive wildcards, along with Tudor Pro Cycling - helmed by another former World Tour rider, Julian Alaphilippe - and two Italian squads, Team Polti Visit Malta and VF Group Bardiani CSF - Faizane.

Earlier on Monday the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), cycling’s governing body, expanded the pool of teams for the three Grand Tours from 22 to 23, allowing one extra team to receive a wildcard invite. All 18 World Tour teams will contest the Giro. Q36.5 were not expecting a wildcard to the Tour de France, which has announced that its invitational spots will go to Tudor, French team TotalEnergies, and Uno-X Mobility.

Pidcock has been in fine form since making a high-profile switch over the winter to Q36.5, winning his first race of the season, the AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia, and most recently finishing sixth overall at Tirreno-Adriatico and second at Strade Bianche.

His previous Grand Tour experience has been at the Tour de France and one appearance at the Vuelta a Espana in 2021, with he and his squad likely to target stages in Italy and potentially push for a strong finish in the general classification depending on how the race pans out. His best finish at a Grand Tour so far has been 13th at the Tour de France in 2023.

The Giro begins on Friday 9 May with three stages in Albania before crossing the border into Italy. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe Primoz Roglic, who won the Volta a Catalunya tune-up race on Sunday, and Juan Ayuso of UAE Team Emirates are the major favourites in the absence of defending champion and Ayuso’s teammate Tadej Pogacar. His main rival Jonas Vingegaard will not race either, with both targeting the Tour de France in July and Pogacar racing a packed Spring Classics campaign earlier in the season.

Before that Pidcock, who has taken a break from racing in recent weeks to prepare for his goals later in the spring, will ride the Ardennes Classics and aim to defend his title at Amstel Gold on 20 April.