Will we still see Sam Bennett back in the peloton in 2026, and if so, for which team? The Irishman will definitely not be riding for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale next year. The experienced sprinter is now linked with Q36.5, the highly ambitious squad led by team leader Tom Pidcock.
It is the usually well-informed cycling journalist Daniel Benson who revealed on X that Bennett might move to the Swiss team. The now 35-year-old rider spent the past two seasons with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale.
Bennett was welcomed with much fanfare, but the former top sprinter could not live up to the expectations, although he did manage to secure some wins on French soil. However, this was not enough for a contract renewal with the French squad. With a farewell video on X, Bennett was thanked for his services and his achieved victories.
Still at WorldTour level?
His potential new employer seems to be named Pinarello-Q36.5 starting next year. The team fronted by Tom Pidcock has applied for a WorldTour license under that name for the upcoming three-year period. This is evident from the provisional list of license applications released by the UCI.
That Pinarello will partner with Q36.5 is no surprise. Fausto Pinarello, the chairman of the Italian bike brand, hinted earlier this month at the collaboration. “We are going to double down,” he said during the announcement of the contract extension between Pinarello and INEOS Grenadiers.
The fact that Pinarello-Q36.5 has applied for a WorldTour license and submitted the necessary documents does not yet guarantee that the Swiss ProTeam will actually make the step up. They are not ranked among the top 18 teams on the UCI ranking list, so it is a matter of waiting for an additional WorldTour spot to become available.
Looking at Q36.5’s provisional 29-man roster for next season, we see that the team has only one true sprinter, Matteo Moschetti. After the departure of Giacomo Nizzolo, the team is likely looking for a replacement for the Italian and seems to have settled on Sam Bennett.
