What Is 2025 Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team season

Overview

The 2025 Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team season represents the third competitive year for the Swiss-registered UCI ProTeam since its founding in 2023. As a ProTeam, the squad earned automatic entry into all UCI WorldTour events, allowing it to target major stage races and one-day classics across Europe and beyond.

Under the leadership of team principal Fabian Cancellara and head sports director Arno van der Zwet, the 2025 campaign emphasized development of young talent while securing top-10 finishes in Grand Tours. The team maintained a balanced roster of 28 riders, including climbers, sprinters, and all-rounders, with a strong focus on stage racing performance.

• Davide Formolo emerged as the team's primary GC contender, finishing 8th overall at the 2025 Giro d'Italia, the team's best Grand Tour result to date.
• The team competed in 28 WorldTour events, including all three Grand Tours and 10 of the 17 one-day classics on the calendar.
• Marc Hirschi claimed victory in Stage 3 and Stage 9 of the 2025 Tour de Suisse, marking the team's first multi-stage wins in a single race.
• The Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team ranked 14th in the UCI Team Ranking at the end of 2025, up from 18th in the previous season.
• The team introduced a new Q36.5 Evolution 2.0 carbon frame in March 2025, designed specifically for high-altitude climbing stages.

Team Structure and Operations

The 2025 season saw Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team refine its operational model, integrating advanced data analytics and sports science to support rider performance. With a core staff of 35, including 6 sports directors and 12 mechanics, the team operated across 15 countries during the racing calendar.

• Team Principal:Fabian Cancellara oversaw strategic direction, leveraging his experience as a former World Champion to guide young riders.
• Head Sports Director:Arno van der Zwet led race-day tactics, managing six rotating director cars across different events.
• Rider Development: The team promoted three riders from its U23 development squad, including Swiss time trial champion Noah Kuhn.
• Medical Staff: A full-time team of four physiotherapists and two doctors traveled with the squad during Grand Tours.
• Technology: The team used Wahoo SYSTM for training analysis and Firstbeat Analytics for real-time physiological monitoring.
• Partnerships: Q36.5 collaborated with Castelli for kit design and PowerTap for power meter integration in all bikes.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a performance comparison between Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team and four peer UCI ProTeams during the 2025 season.

The Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team outperformed teams with similar budgets, particularly in stage race consistency. While it did not achieve a Grand Tour podium, its 8th-place finish by Formolo at the Giro d'Italia demonstrated progress. The team's win tally of 7 victories placed it mid-pack among ProTeams, with three stage wins and four one-day race podiums contributing to its UCI points total.

Why It Matters

The 2025 season solidified Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team’s role as a competitive force in professional cycling, particularly in developing emerging talent and executing disciplined race strategies. As one of the few Swiss-registered ProTeams, it played a key role in expanding the country's presence in the global cycling landscape.

• The team's investment in young riders under 25 helped launch the careers of three future Tour de France contenders.
• Its partnership with Swiss universities enabled research into altitude training optimization and recovery protocols.
• The Evolution 2.0 bike frame attracted interest from other teams, potentially leading to future technology licensing deals.
• By securing media coverage in 40+ countries, the team boosted visibility for Swiss innovation in sports engineering.
• Q36.5's carbon-neutral travel initiative set a benchmark for sustainability among ProTeams in 2025.
• The team's focus on European stage races helped diversify the sport's geographic appeal beyond traditional strongholds.

Looking ahead, the 2025 season laid the foundation for Q36.5 to pursue a top-10 UCI ranking by 2027. With continued investment in technology and athlete development, the team aims to secure its first Grand Tour podium finish within the next three seasons.