Following rumours that their longstanding partnership with Pinarello was set to come to an end, the Ineos Grenadiers have announced a new three-year deal with the Italian brand, days after chairman Fausto Pinarello revealed that the company will “double up” next year by also supplying Tom Pidcock’s Q36.5 team.
Pinarello has provided bikes to the British team, formerly known as Team Sky, since its inception in 2010, winning seven editions of the Tour de France between 2012 and 2019 courtesy of Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, and Egan Bernal.
But with Pinarello’s current contract with Ineos due for renewal at the end of 2025, and reports emerging that the Italian brand is set to agree a deal with ProTeam Q36.5 Pro Cycling, rumours of a potential split began circulating earlier this year.
However, those rumours have been firmly put to bed with Thursday’s announcement, which will see the Ineos Grenadiers continue to ride Pinarello bikes until the end of 2028, at least.
“Pinarello has been part of our story from day one,” Ineos founder Sir Dave Brailsford said in a statement.
“What defines this relationship is the genuine collaboration and shared belief that technology, elite performance, and attention to detail can achieve great things.
“With Fausto [Pinarello] and his team steeped in cycling’s rich heritage, we’ve designed and built bikes that have changed the sport. We’re excited to keep pushing forward, innovating together and building on that success over the next three years.”
Meanwhile, Pinarello president Fausto Pinarello, who all but confirmed the news while speaking on an Italian podcast this week, said: “I’m delighted that our unique partnership is continuing.
“Together with the Ineos Grenadiers, we’ve achieved incredible things over the years: World Championships, Hour Records, success in mountain bike and cyclo-cross, and of course, Grand Tour, and other major victories on the road.
“For both of us, this partnership feels completely natural. We share the same drive to win, and with the continued collaboration between Dave [Brailsford], Carsten [Jeppesen], and the team’s management, our belief is that Ineos Grenadiers can be the best team in the world again, riding the best bikes in the world.
“What makes this relationship so special is that it goes far beyond sponsorship. We know each other deeply – our teams share ideas, push innovation, and are open to new technologies and materials that keep us at the very cutting edge of performance.”
> Pinarello set to be sold to South African mining billionaire
As noted above, the announcement provides official confirmation of what Fausto Pinarello told the Tuttobiciweb podcast earlier this week, the company president suggesting that the brand “could have two professional teams next year” by also agreeing a deal with Q36.5 Pro Cycling.
The impending partnership with the Swiss ProTeam, though not yet confirmed, makes sense in a number of ways.
Founded in 1953 by Fausto’s father Giovanni, Pinarello was initially sold in 2016 to private equity firm L Catterton, with Fausto retaining his position as managing director with a minority stake, but in 2023 was then bought over by South African businessman Ivan Glasenberg.
The mining billionaire had by then already invested heavily in Italian clothing brand Q36.5, who have sponsored Doug Ryder’s second-tier squad since its relaunch in 2023.
Meanwhile, the team’s signing of double Olympic champion Tom Pidcock strengthened the bonds between Glasenberg’s two business interests.
As part of Pidcock’s transfer from Ineos, a deal was struck to allow the British star to continue to ride Pinarello bikes for off-road events this season, such as at the recent gravel world championships, while racing on Q36.5 sponsor Scott’s Foil and Addict models on the road.
“It’s not nice to see our rider use other bikes,” Pinarello admitted this week, before hinting that “there’s a good chance that Tom will also use our road bikes [next year]…”
However, while such an admission may have sparked reports that Pinarello, like Pidcock, was set to jump ship from Ineos to Q36.5, Fausto – when asked more directly about his brand’s plans for 2026 – said: “We’re going to double up”.
And though Pinarello’s PR department urged some caution concerning their president’s remarks, that promise to double its presence in the peloton now appears to be all but confirmed. We just have to wait for the Q36.5 announcement now…
4 thoughts on “Ineos Grenadiers announce new deal with Pinarello following split rumours and Q36.5 links”
Um… the more explicit link
Um… the more explicit link that Road.CC kinda-sorta implied, but glossed over is that as well as owning the main sponsor Q36.5 Ivan Glassenberg is also the 50% owner of the racing team itself. So he owns 3 of the parties involved, not just 2.
That’s thé wayy cycling often
That’s thé way cycling often goes so Ok
ineos are lucky that they
ineos are lucky that they have Ganna or I imagine pinarello would bin them off, would like to see the deal £ figure vs the previous deals they have signed with ineos / sky
check12 wrote:
Pinarello’s biggest markets are the USA and China, so whilst they may have a sentimental attachment to Ganna the three Americans in the team, particularly Magnus Sheffield and his potential to develop as a GT rider over the next couple of years, probably played a more important part.