Radar Focus

Our People

Performance is impossible without our people.
We are inspired by the uniting ethos of Ubuntu, a South African philosophy based on an interconnected world, expressed as: “I am because of who we all are.
“We Race the Future with UBUNTU by empowering all our people the opportunity to be their best.

SPAIN

Enekoitz Azparren >

SWITZERLAND

Matteo Badilatti >

SPAIN

Xabier Mikel Azparren >

NETHERLANDS

Sjoerd Bax >

ITALY

Gianluca Brambilla >

ITALY

Walter Calzoni >

SPAIN

Marcel Camprubí >

SWITZERLAND

Fabio Christen >

SPAIN

David de la Cruz >

UNITED KINGDOM

Mark Donovan >

BELGIUM

Frederik Frison >

SPAIN

David González >

AUSTRALIA

Damien Howson >

LATVIA

Emīls Liepiņš >

POLAND

Kamil Małecki >

ITALY

Matteo Moschetti >

ITALY

Giacomo Nizzolo >

ITALY

Nicolò Parisini >

UNITED KINGDOM

Joseph Pidcock >

UNITED KINGDOM

Thomas Pidcock >

GERMANY

Jannik Steimle >

IRELAND

Rory Townsend >

NETHERLANDS

Milan Vader >

BELGIUM

Harm Vanhoucke >

CANADA

Nick Zukowsky >

SOUTH AFRICA

Douglas Ryder

General Manager

BELGIUM

Kurt Bogaerts

Head of Performance

SPAIN

Alex Sans Vega

Head of Racing

ITALY

Daniele Nieri

Sports Director

ITALY

Gabrielle Missaglia

Sports Director

AUSTRALIA

Jens Zemke

Sports Director

SWITZERLAND

Michal Albasini

Sports Director

POLAND

Piotr Wadecki

Sports Director

SWITZERLAND

Lorenz Emmert

Chief Medical Team Doctor

GERMANY

Caroline Heinen-Vees

Doctor

GERMANY

Christian Wegmann

Doctor

ITALY

Elena Albertazzi

Doctor

GERMANY

Madlaine Müller

Doctor

SPAIN

Carles Tur

Head Coach

NORWAY

Bent Rønnestad

Head of Physiology

GERMANY

Ken Ballhause

Head of Biomechanics

GERMANY

Clemens Hesse

Coach

POLAND

Jakub Foltyn

Coach

FRANCE

Théo Ouvrard

Coach

POLAND

Adam Plucinski

Nutritionist

POLAND

Mateusz Gawelczyk

Nutritionist

BELGIUM

Peter Nierinckx

Chef

ITALY

Eros Stangherlin

Chef

SOUTH AFRICA

Anthony Field-Buss

Finance & Operations

NETHERLANDS

Jean-Pierre Van Dongen

Fleet and Facilities Manager

NETHERLANDS

Kayla du Toit

Office Manager

NETHERLANDS

Mark Ewing

Hospitality & Activations

ITALY

Martina Alessandri

Team Administration

NETHERLANDS

Ricardo Van Dongen

Inventory Control Manager

NEW ZEALAND

Sarah Blake

Head of Logistics

SOUTH AFRICA

Karselle Moodley

Partnerships & Operations

UNITED KINGDOM

Thomas Long

Head of Brand

SOUTH AFRICA

Adam Nunn

Digital Assistance

NETHERLANDS

Adriaan Van Zijp

Bus Driver

SPAIN

Antonio Mendez

Mechanic

SWITZERLAND

Cederic Stahli

Mechanic

NETHERLANDS

Daan van den Berg

Mechanic

SPAIN

Edgar Coso Ferrer

Mechanic

NETHERLANDS

Giannis Chatzichristou

Mechanic

NETHERLANDS

Jürgen Landrie

Mechanic

SPAIN

Joaquin Martinez

Mechanic

ITALY

Luca Catabiani

Mechanic

FRANCE

Remy Hoffmann

Mechanic

POLAND

Andrei Kunitski

Mechanic

POLAND

Michał Giemza

Carer + Bus Driver

CROATIA

Danijel Kvasina

Head Carer & Physio

SPAIN

Albert Poblet

Carer & Physio

ITALY

Leonardo Moggio

Carer & Oste

PORTUGAL

Marco Morais

Carer

SPAIN

Pablo Torres

Carer

NETHERLANDS

Ton De Vaan

Carer

SPAIN

Nacho Rodriguez

Carer

BELGIUM

Xenia de Roose

Carer

BELGIUM

Gunther Landrie

Carer

NETHERLANDS

José Been

Communications & PR

Don’t fall behind!

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep updated with the
latest news and exciting information about the team!

SUBSCRIBE

Enekoitz Azparren 😁

Enekoitz, or Eneko for short, likes dogs, drinks a cappuccino and just like his big brother Xabier loves the Igueldo climb in San Sebastián. He prefers dark chocolate, Dottore bibs and tops over drops. He is a morning and night person (these young kids….), choses downhill and rain over headwind. He is not a fruity pizza man.

Matteo Badilatti 👍

Matteo Badilatti was born and still lives in Poschiavo, Graubünden, Switzerland. The overwhelming nature inspired young Matteo to do all sorts of mountain sports like cross country skiing, ski mountaineering but also tennis and football. He only started cycling as a sport when he was studying Business Administration at the University of Sankt Gallen and turned pro after he graduated.  

Although Matteo didn’t start racing young, he did watch the big races on tv at his grandparents or visited the races in the north of Italy. There was already a spark planted in him. 

“As a kid the bike is your only transport to discover the world but it’s still the same now. That’s why I love riding my bike. The training is harder, but the freedom and the beauty of nature is still there. I remember they closed Highway One for us in Tour of California. That was amazing”  

When he is not riding, he likes walking his dog, a Weimaraner called Liam, in the mountains near his home. Matteo’s filosophy is to do everything at his best in the moment. When he was in university there was full focus and now there is on cycling. Do everything a 100%b and be proud of what you achieved.  

He started late in pro cycling so there is still a lot to learn. He doesn’t plan on quitting at all because when there are still things to learn, there is that drive. “There was always a lot of knowledge and competence in the team but this year we are going faster than ever. There is something very special happening now.”  

Matteo choses dogs, espresso and milk chocolate. He wears Gregarius bib shorts and rides tops. He is a morning person, likes riding uphill and gives a pass on rain and headwind. His surname gives the clue that pineapple on pizza is a no go.  

Xabier Mikel Azparren 🙂‍↔️

The man with the moustache on the team, Xabier is a true style icon. Coming back from a season of injury and illness, Xabier is eager to show himself this year.

He is a lover of Basque indie music and is a sociable guy. The spark for cycling was lit when he was five and visited the Tour de France with his granddad. He started cycling because, in his own words, he needed the exercise.

Fun facts: he was afraid of bikes and only learned to ride when he was ten. His lucky number is 13 and he has the Basque word for it tattooed on his arm. Big brother of Enekoitz.

Xabier’s choices: Cats over dogs, flat white, Igueldo Climb, milk chocolate, Dottore bib shorts, drops over tops, socks always under, night person, rain over headwind and no pineapple on pizza, thank you very much.

Sjoerd Bax 😂

Sjoerd hails from a small Dutch village by the name of Uppel. Like most of the Netherlands it’s pan flat, yet Sjoerd decided to ride mountain bikes in the fields in winter. He became more driven and joined the team Jan van Arckel as a kid. Becoming pro was never the ultimate dream and it took a while before he reached that status. He is just the guy who rides very fast and progresses every year. A second spot at nationals in 2020 was a breakthrough moment.  

Sjoerd is an allround rider who despite being tall, climbs well and has a good kick at the finish. He doesn’t fit one size. His girlfriend rows at a high level but Sjoerd himself has never been in a boat. “They are super narrow and dangerous,” says the man who descends mountains at over 90 km/h. We think he is just afraid of the cold water.  

The tall Dutchman likes the autumnal races in Italy of which he already won two. He lives in Maastricht where he trains in three different countries: Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. He loves the small roads in the Belgian Voerstreek for a quiet yet challenging ride.  

Sjoerd chose Q36.5 Procycling Team to find some more freedom in the races. He would love to ride his first grand tour. In his own words, he thinks he is quite boring and maybe too kind in races but we would like to say he is a humble guy always ready to help others feel better.  

Sjoerd choses cats over dogs, drinks a cappuccino, likes his gels flavourless, prefers dark chocolate, rides drops in Dottore bibs. He is a morning person who likes uphill and rather has headwind than rain. Courageous enough to order pineapple pizza, but only outside of Italy. 

Gianluca Brambilla 😎

Gianluca’s favorite animal is a rabbit. He likes multiple espressos with some dark chocolate, loves Monte Corno and wears the Dottore bib shorts. He is a morning person, prefers riding uphill on the tops. Headwind or rain? Then home is the best place and that pineapple and pizza question? “Whattt?????” Sorry, we asked Brambi. 

Walter Calzoni 😂

Walter lives in Sellero, Brescia, in the north of Italy, close to Mortirolo. He likes to do a bit of climbing but prefers the shorter climbs in a very hard race. He started playing football as a young boy, but he did it less than a year. Then he started cycling and also played some tennis and skiing. It was clear cycling was his first love.

He likes riding with friends, but I also doesn’t mind riding alone. “Sometimes I play some music, but I often enjoys the silence, especially when I do the Mortirolo.”

One of his highlights is being in the break with riders like Marc Hirschi, Pavel Sivakov and Tadej Pogačar. He finished sixth in that Coppa Sabatini but is ambituous to one day be on the top step of a podium like that.

One of his hobbies is riding his Vespa 50 Special. It is from 1974, and he takes very good care of it: washing it and polish it to shine. Our mechanics will be happy to hear that he also takes very good care of his Scott bikes.

Walter has a border collie-mix called Zampe. This is Italian for legs because he has three black legs and one white.

Walter likes dogs, milk chocolate, espresso and cappuccino. Italians know exactly when to drink which because there are rules. He loves the Crocedomini pass, likes both Dottore and Gregarius bibs, is a morning person, rides drops and doesn’t mind rain or headwind. We didn’t dare to ask Italians about pineapple and pizzas…..

Marcel Camprubí ✖️

Marcel Camprubí is from the center of Barcelona. Barcelona is the most beautiful city in the world. Sea, sun and mountains. End of discussion. We move on. He did all sports as a kid: fencing, bike trial, rugby, table tennis, football you name it.  

Marcel was the best in rugby because he was fast but then when everyone started to grow and he didn’t, he was afraid he would be killed. Some friends did triathlon, so he tried that, and he even won a bronze medal as a junior. An injury to his foot meant the end of running and COVID closed the pools, so the bike remained. And he won because his bike trial past made him very skilled in the bunch.  

Pressure doesn’t come from others but from inside, he says. This year he wants to show his progress in all races: cobbles, hills but most important win one day on Montjuíc in the Volta al Catalunya. That’s the ultimate dream. Marcel studies business at the Open University of Catalunya. 

Marcel chooses dogs, drinks flat white, wears Dottore bibs, rides tops for optimal aerodynamics, not a morning or evening person: Marcel is just all-day smiles. He likes riding uphill to his own surprise, picks rain over headwind and pizzas come with pineapple because trying new things is good.  

Fabio Christen 🤌🏽

Fabio comes from a cycling family with brother Jan at Team UAE and his parents also avid cyclists. He played football but when there was a bike race in Gippingen and he started in the kids’ races, he was hooked. He really loved it and joined a local club VMC Klingnau. When the crit races were on a Wednesday night at the same time as football practice he chose cycling. It runs in the family, after all, and he never regretted it. 

He won a stage in the Tour de l’Avenir but he dreams of winning his first pro race this year. He loves the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Milan-Sanremo. Those are the ambitious goals for the future. The dream goal for the short term would be to win Gippingen. He still lives there with his parents so it would be a family affair. “The finish is next to our school so that would be really special with my friends and everyone there.”  

Fabio likes cooking and makes a good chicken curry with some extra vegetables that would please Adam, our nutritionist. There will be quite some spice in it but not that the house catches fire.  

When he races with his brother there is some jokes at the start but in the end, they race against each other, unless they are in the national team.  

Fabio runs an hour a week at least. “It’s a great way to wake up and I just like doing it. It’s also good for bone density and has many benefits for riders. During my runs I also do some jumps I would normally do in the gym.  

Fabio likes cats but doesn’t have animals at home. He drinks a flat white. He loves the Swiss Alps and Toblerone. Yes, our Fabio is very Swiss. He rides Dottore bib shorts in aero top position. He is a morning person and likes short uphills and prefers rain over headwind. No pizza Hawaii out of respect for his Italian teammates.  

David de la Cruz 🤙🏻

David holds all his victories dear but winning the Spanish time trial nationals was extra special, especially since it came with a fantastic full-white skinsuit with a Spanish flag that David helped design together with Q36.5.
David admits he is in the last years of his career but feels extra motivated this year.

“Sometimes you see teams on the decline or at a status quo. Here I experience new energy to build and grow together in the true Ubuntu spirit. There is pressure but even in these moments we are all human beings.” David is a proud Catalan and advices you all to at least ride the road between Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Tossa Del Mar once in your life. Finally David would like to make it clear that white chocolate is also chocolate.

David’s choices: Dogs over cats, cappuccino over espresso, Dottore bibs, top over drops, socks go under, morning person, uphill please and rain over wind. Pizzas always without pineapple.

Mark Donovan 🤣

Once the only Brit on the team he now has to share this space with two Yorkshiremen.

Mark grew up in the Lake District where he still loves to ride the Great Dunn Fell but moved to Girona when he was 18 and now resides in Andorra. Sports were always a thing in the Donovan household with long bike trips for the young Mark but his competitive career started in trail running.

An ankle injury put him back on the bike and to road cycling and cyclocross as a junior. Give Mark a call when you have a hard, punchy race on offer. This year he wants to win at .Pro level.

There is room for growth and more progress. After a few years of pro experience it’s time to profit from all of that this season.

Mark likes dogs, drinks a cappuccino and loves to ride the Great Dunn Fell. He prefers dark chocolate, Dottore bib shorts, drops, uphill and would chose headwind over rain. He is a morning person and doesn’t do pizza Hawaii.

Frederick Frison 🤣

Like many small boys in Flanders, Frederik or Fre, started playing football first. When he found video tapes of his uncle Herman (former winner of Gent-Wevelgem among others) in the basement one day, and watched them, de ‘koersmicrobe’ or the cycling virus hit him. For his Holy Communion he got a bike and despite needing some time getting used to his new sport, he started winning pretty soon. From when he turned 14, little Frederik gradually became the tall guy we all know now.

At 1m93 Frederik is the tallest of the team which makes his easily recognizable on tv but also has a downside. There is never a moment he can draft behind someone else. It’s in Frederik’s nature to help others although he has some great results himself like two fourth places in Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem in the same week in 2023. Those are the races he hopes to excel in again this year. He is also proud to have finished three Tour de Frances helping his team.

Fre is an allrounder and a quiet, kind force. He takes great pride in helping others, whether that is in teaching them how to navigate an echelon or win a race. “If your teammate prepares for something really big and achieves that goal, it makes me proud also. Cycling is a true team sport to me and to have a grateful teammate, is a great reward. Being part of the 2023 Belgian team in Glasgow with Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert was a highlight in my career. “

Frederik is married to Lise and father to two little girls: Margot (1) en Nona (3). He lives in Geel.

Frederik choses cats over dogs without a doubt (we understand why), drinks an espresso and likes to ride on the Teide in Tenerife, both up and downhill. He prefers dark chocolate and rides Dottore bib shorts. He likes to ride tops and prefers headwind. He is not a member of the pineapple on pizza club.

David González ❤️

David González lives in Avila known for amazing Vuelta stages in the past. The castle is very well known but there is so much more to see in his home region of Castilla y Léon. He loves riding there and loves climbing the Navalmoral near his home. La Vuelta Castilla y Léon is a race dear to his heart. 

He is on a fast-track learning English right now after being on Spanish teams before. He now often thinks back that his mother Maria-José already told him when he was younger that he should learn English. You know that mothers are always right, David. He has a one-year-old son Luca and will tell him this when he learns to speak. You will find many pictures of Luca, and David’s wife Elena on his Instagram. Both are an inspiration to him. He even has a tattoo honoring Elena. 

He is proud to be part of such a big team with great teammates, equipment, staff and goals. He would like to contribute achieving the team’s goals. He did a Grand tour and now dreams of doing northern Classics. “I saw them on tv with all those people. Imagine being there as a rider.” 

David’s choices: dogs, espresso, dark chocolate, downhill, rain instead of headwind, morning person, Dottore bibs and no pizza Hawaii.

Damien Howson 👍🏻

Damien Howson got spotted through a state talent identification programme. He came from basketball despite being  – his words – ‘a short ass’. The programme thought cycling would be a good fit and indeed it was. He is not short anymore at 1m88 so he literally grew into the sport, from a frame size 46 to a 56 now. An expensive period for his parents indeed. 

Damo’s career went off to a flying start with a silver medal at the state championships of South Australia when he was in the U15s. The fact there were only two starters is not really worth a mention. “I had no experience racing bikes whatsoever so I thought it would be like car racing. I spend the entire race at the front pacing Alex Edmondson. When I took a drink at 300 meters from the line, he took over and won the race.” The two are still good mates spending the Adelaide summers training together.  

GP Patton, in Luxembourg, was his first race in Europe and he finished on the podium on two days, then continuing to win his first race as a junior in Italy so it was a good start. He is a former U23 time trial world champion too. After spending his career with Jayco, he joined the Q36.5 Procycling Team from the start. “It was a team looking to progress and that appealed to me. This year we are taking big steps to climb through the ranks, and I am excited to be both a leader on certain days and helper to others on other days.”  

‘Damo’ is a loyal teammate, and he tries not to be a pest in the bunch. “I think I am well respected, and most people are happy when I win. I think I can suffer really well.”  

He lives in Andorra and feels he was the early adaptor on the Andorra hype. He lives there with his wife and daughter Mila (born 2023).  

Damien is a dog person, drinks cappuccino rather than espresso and likes milk chocolate. Montacute Road in Adelaide is his favorite. He is a night person and then eats the occasional pizza Hawaii. He rides tops over drops, prefers uphill rides and warm rain is better than a cold headwind. Yes, that’s a fact of life.  

Emīls Liepiņš 😂

Emīls Liepiņš (just copy paste if you can’t find the accents on your keyboard either). In winter he often goes to Girona despite his love of winter sports like ice hockey and cross country skiing. Emīls is a proud dad to Beatrise, born in 2024. He started in BMX when he was six and a very active kid.

Our Latvian is new to the team but after some friendly espionage at races last year he saw the vibe at our dinner table was good. ‘It came across as a great team and that is exactly what it is. We are all nice, humble people,’ he says. ‘I want to have a job that gives me a smile when I return home to my daughter and wife. This team does exactly that.’ 

Emīls’ choices: cat person, cappuccino over espresso, milk chocolate, fan of both Dottore and Gregarius bibs, prefers beach roads on Seychelles, tops over drops but not in sprints obviously, socks go under, morning person, prefers downhill and rain and doesn’t put pineapple on pizza.

Kamil Małecki ❤️

Małecki with the ł pronounced as a sort of v/w mix is proud of Poland and his region of Pomorskie. Despite the ever-louder call from Girona or Andorra he stays true to his home roads where it’s calm and beautiful.

Kamil has excelled in races with hard to pronounce names in the past but also netted great results in both Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix where he finished 18th on his first try. He hopes to return to the cobbles with the team that feels as family. Last year he had tachycardia and needed an ablation. He hopes that is now behind him to race the future. Fun fact: Kamil’s mum decided he should join a bike club and to this day he is grateful for her decision. 

Kamil’s choices: cats over dogs, cappuccino over espresso, milk chocolate, Dottore bib shorts, tops over drops, socks always under, morning person, uphill, headwind over rain and a lover of pineapple on pizza.

Matteo Moschetti ❤️

Matteo Moschetti was born in Milano, now lives in Monaco, but the best coffee is in Ventimiglia because Italians just do the best coffee. No discussion. Young Matteo first raced a bike when he was seven years old. It was about having fun and go fast. Matteo is a humble guy with dreams that did come true. He wanted to be professional, and he did turn pro in 2019.  

Sadly, there were quite a few setbacks incl broken hip and a terrible car accident. The scars are still on his face. The love for the bike and the feeling that he is a privileged to be doing this, pulled him through. “My parents, my family and my friends were and are always there for me which was the best motivation to come back,” he says. He really would love to show his potential this year in a season without bad luck.  

Matteo loves the passion of the Italian tifosi with the culture, the passion and the champions of the past. He would like to return to Roubaix, even after a horrendous, his words, experience in the past. “It’s so very special to race there. Thinking of racing onto the Velodrome already gives me goosebumps.”  

Matteo chooses dogs over cats, drinks espresso, loves Cap Formentor, eats milk chocolate, wears Dottore bib shorts, rides tops over drops, is a morning person, rides downhill in a headwind. Pineapple on pizza? Insert ‘Italian shrug’. 

Giacomo Nizzolo 👌🏼

Giacomo has had a long career, starting at age six. It was a birthday present to join the local cycling club in Monza for fun. He also did swimming and football but chose cycling at age 17. He won many things, but his career highlight was the second Italian championship because it came after so much injury. “It took almost three years (17, 18, 19) to really have my strength back. I felt like I was back where I belonged when I won the championship in Veneto in 2020,” he says.  

Giacomo is a mentally strong rider but as he gets older it’s harder to recover from crashes. Last year was hard for him. “The body needs more time to bounce back from impact. Also missing days of the bike counts harder than when you are a young man. On the other hand, the injuries also teach you to enjoy what you do even more because it can end soon too. Now I am older I live more in the moment, appreciating the places we go and the people we work with. It won’t last forever. That’s what I advise the young riders too: be focused on your career but also appreciate this special time”.  

He loves Milan-Sanremo of course because it’s where he grew up.  The magic on race day is that it starts from his hometown although he has been living in Switzerland for twelve years. During the race you go from the grey city to the sunshine of the seaside at Genoa and then on to Sanremo. That’s a metaphor for life, he says. “When you go to the sea and see the sun, it opens the heart, the passione.” 

Giacomo was bitten by a dog when he was five years old. He had 35 stitches on his face, but his parents decided to get a dog anyways. It was a golden retriever called Theo and that improved his relationship with dogs a lot.  

Giacomo likes dogs, he drinks green tea, loves dark chocolate, wears Dottore bibs and naturally rides drops in the sprint. He is a night person, let’s not discuss pineapple on pizza with Giacomo, please. He likes riding downhill and prefers headwind over rain because he shelters behind Frederik.  

We were shocked to learn that Giacomo doesn’t like coffee. 

Nicolò Parisini 🤣

Nicoló grew up close to Milan in a small town called Vigevano. He moved to San Marino. He is therefore our rider living in the smallest country. He started in BMX when he was six years and did that for six years. He switched to road cycling when he was 12-13 years old. BMX was really fun to learn the skills he still uses in the peloton today, he says. Today he needs a bit more endurance but still has that explosive power. His girlfriend loves in Lavena Ponte Tresa, near Lake Como. He loves training there with the views and the climbs. 

He calls himself a classics man and likes the E3 Harelbeke. Last year he was in the right move but dropped with a flat tyre. For him it’s the perfect combo between cobbles and climbs. As a junior he did Paris-Roubaix. He remembers his hands being completely ruined but it was a dream riding it. “We did the same parcours as the pros for the final 100 kilometers and finished in the Velodrome on the day as them.” Although he loves that race very much, he needs a few climbs on the course because he is a lighter rider.  

He watches a lot of sports and loves the Italian basketball. His favorite team is from Milano of course. He would have loved to do basketball himself but thinks he is still too short. We expect that at 24 Nicoló won’t grow any taller so he must stick to cycling, and we are glad he does.  

His favorite food is pizza. “There is good pizza in every corner of Italy, so you can’t go wrong with a good Margherita, maybe with some good prosciutto.”  

Nicoló is a dog person, likes espresso, milk chocolate and the Como Lake. He likes the Dottore bib shorts, rides tops, prefers downhill and rain over headwind. He is a morning person. Pineapple on pizza? Absolutely not. We could have known…. 🤌🏽

Joey Pidcock🤝

Joseph, Joe or just Joey Pidcock is our only first year pro this season. Cycling runs in the family with dad Giles and big brother Tom also riding. Joey started on the road but also did mountain bike and cross. He finds road most interesting because training for it gets you places and it offers variety.  

Joey loves riding in Australia. You can spot a tattoo of a joey, a baby kangaroo on his arm. No, it’s not a kangoroo, it’s a joey. Now you know. He also shares a home in Girona with two Aussies: Fergus Browning and Luke Tuckwell who remarkably took over some of his Yorkshire accent.  

Joey comes from northern Leeds, but he likes the social nature of living in Girona. There is a lot to learn in his first year as a pro. “There are so many people helping me with everything and finding solutions to problems I didn’t even know existed. And everyone has been so welcoming,” he says of his team onboarding.  

Just like big bro Tom, Joey did well on all sorts of terrain as an U23-rider: from cobbles to punchy finales. For this year he will do his best to learn as much as he can because what else can you do more than just do your best?  

Loves his brothers’ dogs, drinks a cappuccino with mint dark chocolate on the side, test drives Dottore and Gregarius bibs this year, rides tops and is a night person. Downhill or uphill depends on the day and the same goes for headwind or rain. A first year is all about finding out, Joey. Oh, he hates pineapple.

Tom Pidcock 😂

Tom Pidcock is the oldest of the two brothers on the Q36.5 Procycling Team and comes from the north of Leeds, in the UK. He resides in Andorra with his girlfriend and two long-haired dachshunds: Chestnut and Acorn who take center stage at home as dogs tend to do. Nick Zukowsky is – practically – his neighbour. He started racing at the tender age of just seven years old, He rides on two wheels and unicycle.  

Tom loves riding through mud, over rock paths and tree branches and on gravel. He has achieved a remarkable amount of offroad results at only 25 next to five major road victories. Just a few highlights then: he holds three cyclocross world titles: junior, U23 and elite, a junior and a U23 Paris-Roubaix title and of course two gold Olympic medals in mountain biking.  

He also defied the odds in the 2023 Strade Bianche by keeping his chasers at a very small gap for almost 50 kilometers. Tom is a master descender with ‘that’ Tuna Canyon (https://youtu.be/99wJn5QBvyg?si=j0M3gmdO4OAlHiVJ) clip going viral with almost three million views. 

Tom has a remarkable way of making comebacks winning his first gold Olympic medal two months after breaking a collarbone and his second one in Paris after puncturing early on and making up a minute gap.  

He has some big goals this year but won’t say out loud what they are. We will tell you what they were, after that race.  

Tom choses dogs over cats (surprise!), drinks a chai latte, loves the North Coast 500 along the coast of Scotland, prefers dark chocolate, rides Dottore bibs and tops over drops, is a morning person, choses downhill over uphill and rain over headwind. No pizza Hawaii please.  

Jannick Steimle 👍🏼

Jannik likes dogs over cats, drink a flat white, eats dark chocolate and refuses pineapple pizza. He wears the Gregarius bib shorts, prefers tops over drops, is a morning person, goes downhill (his favorite road is even te downhill to his house) and choses headwind over rain. 

Rory Townsend 🫠

Rory started his sports career in triathlon because his dad (who is Irish) worked in the industry, but he liked rugby and football more. When he was injured at age 14 the only thing left to do without flaring up the injury was cycling. He joined the Hillingdon Slipstreamers in London and that was it. The bike kind of happened to him.  

He raced for Team GB as a youngster but competes for Ireland ever since. Riding a bike in county Watford, Ireland where most of his family still lives really sparked the love for the sport because yes, it’s an amazingly beautiful place. “I love the ocean over there. Where my aunt lives near Pike Hill is the most amazing road. The ocean really opens up to you.” 

He started cooking more in the last two, three years. He really enjoys it, and it relaxes him. Rory treats his wife-to-be Grace to a vegetarian mushroom Wellington or a seafood pasta. He is a sucker for Great British Bake Off but doesn’t do any baking at all.  

This year Rory wants to be at the front of the bike races, which is not a surprise, and get a few more podiums. He likes hard days and is a really consistent rider. He also looks forward to looking after Tom and Giacomo in the big races. “I am a good positioner and am quite physical in the bunch. That’s the skills I need to keep my colleagues safe and out of trouble.” 

Rory finished a degree in sports science in 2022. He handed in his final dissertation a few days before the Irish championships he won. When you look at the video of that race, you will find him a mess, in his words. We like that kind of passion. In the near future he would like to learn more about psychology and possibly pursue a degree in that direction. 

Rory likes dogs, cappuccino, Roubaix and milk chocolate. He loves the Dottore bib shorts, is a night person, likes riding downhill, drops of course, and doesn’t mind the rain. He steers clear of any fruit on pizzas.  

Milan Vader 😘

Milan started his career in mountain biking because he was part of a great team called Team Extreme as a kid. For him it was the group of people that made the sport fun, but he also found out that he was super competitive. Those weekends were just great, with fun and Big Macs, he says. The national coach saw him and that’s how it became more professional in mountain biking. They started building towards the Tokyo Olympis where he finished tenth in the race his new teammate Tom Pidcock won. 

His coach Tim Heemskerk also worked in road cycling, so that’s how he ended up at Jumbo-Visma and started a road career. It was not the easiest decision to make but he is happy with his decision, especially after winning Tour of Guanxi. 

Vader is new to the team. “I tried to orientate as good as possible when I started looking for new teams. I chose this team for the people, and I haven’t regretted it since. There is freedom here and I get my chances in races.” 

He lives in Middelburg (Netherlands) and is proud to represent his province of Zeeland. Although when there is wind and rain on the long, straight roads of his home, and that happens often, he books a flight to Alicante.  

Fun fact: as kids Milan and his brother decorated BMX bikes at their grandpa’s home and pretended to be Juan Antonio Flecha and Robbie McEwen racing against each other on the local streets. Milan McEwen often won. 

Milan choses dogs over cats, likes espresso and thinks the best roads are enjoyed alone and in the sunshine. He is not a big chocolate fan, rides because he is still that mountain bike guy at heart, morphed into a morning person, loves Italy so can’t say yes to pizzas with pineapple. He prefers riding downhill and choses headwind over rain

Harm Vanhoucke 😂

Harm lives in Gullegem, home to one of the most famous Belgian kermesses. It even passes in front of his house so this year the beers and the Bicky burgers are on him. Gullegem is in West-Flanders, which is the heart of Flanders’ passion for cycling. As a young boy he also could be found roadside at the major Classics or trying to spot the big stars outside the rider hotels.

He started late in cycling, at the age of 15. Like many he focused on football but when he was looking for something else, cycling came to mind and he joined the KSV Deerlijk club. He didn’t have the dream of becoming pro since that age but was enjoying the sport. It was after he joined the U23 ranks from the juniors in 2016 that he knew he could make it. After a successful season he finished off that year with a solo win in the U23 version of Il Lombardia which is quite the achievement for a 19-year-old.

Despite being a climber-puncheur type. Harm is not considering moving to Andorra or Girona. He and his wife Luca are parents to a young son Aurèle and have a baby girl on the way.

Harm hopes to win a race this year. He was close on a few occasions including twice in the Giro d’Italia. He likes the Grand Tours and hopes to one day win a stage. He feels that one-week stage races are his strength for a good overall result though.

“I joined Q36.5 because this is a team that has that drive to grow and I see all the potential to do that together. We can really become a big team and being part of that mission is what drew me here. I also love the international nature of this team so we can really learn with and from each other.”

Harm choses cats over dogs, drinks an espresso and his favorite climb is the Knokteberg, or Côte de Trieu. He prefers milk chocolate, rides tops and likes the Dottore bibs. He is a morning person who choses uphill over downhill and headwind over rain. Big pass on pineapple on pizza.

Nick Zukowsky 🤘

Nick Zukowsky’s, or you can call him Zuke, Ukrainian great grand parents moved to Canada where he grew up in Saint Lucie in Quebec. French is his first language but he is fluent in English too. In Canada he did freestyle skiing.  

Zuke is a late starter in road cycling. He was 17 when he started on the road coming from mountain biking for fun as a kid. “We lived in Tuscon (USA) at the time, so my dad wasn’t so keen to have me ride alone on the MTB in rattlesnake country. I then jumped on the road bike, joined some groups and got the love for it,” he says. His first rides were with underwear under his bib shorts but he was a fast learner. He raced the 2015 World Championships in Qatar and then his first pro years were derailed by COVID. Cycling did stick with him although he has a hard time explaining his family and highschool friends what he actually does for a living. 

He first saw pro races on tv and remembers Nic Dlamini wearing the polka dots in the Tour Down Under. “When I saw the Dimension Data team it was about more than just podiums. The vibe here is different and there definitely is something in the air for this season.” Zuke looks forward to racing a lot with his Andorra neighbor Tom Pidcock.  

Nick chooses dogs over cats, drinks Americano, wears Gregarius bibs, rides drops and is a morning person. Downhill is his favorite and he picks rain over headwind. Has no issues with pineapple and pizza on the same pizza.  

Michael Albasini

Nationality: Switzerland
Home: Gais, Switzerland
Role: Sports director
Dog or cat person? Neither
Favourite drink? Coffee and wine
Favourite cycling race? LBL
Favourite season? Fall
Milk or dark chocolate? Milk
One day or stage races? One day
Morning or night person? Morning
Favourite pizza topping? Prosciutto
Favourite sport? Cycling and ice hockey

What does Ubuntu mean to you? Thrive and the team thrives. Help the team thrive and you will thrive.

Jens Zemke

Nationality: Germany
Home: Frankfurt, Germany
Role: Sports Director
Dog or cat person? I have a dog
Favourite drink? Beer
Favourite cycling race? WT race in Frankfurt
Favourite season? Spring
Milk or dark chocolate? – none
One day or stage races? Love both
Morning or night person? Night person
Favourite pizza topping? Spicy salami
Favourite sport? Football supporter Eintracht Frankfurt beside cycling and ski for passion


What does Ubuntu mean to you?
Love to give hope and joy to other people, which makes my life also more fulfilled.

Piotr Wadecki

Nationality: Poland
Home: Italy
Role: Sports director
Dog or cat person? Dog
Favourite drink? Chinotto
Favourite cycling race? Strade Bianche
Favourite season? Spring
Milk or dark chocolate? Dark chocolate
One day or stage races? One day
Morning or night person? Morning
Favourite pizza topping? Frutti di mare
Favourite sport? Cycling of course

What does Ubuntu mean to you? Together we can do more!

Adam Nunn

Nationality: South Africa
Home: Cape Town, South Africa
Role: Digital and marketing
Dog or cat person? Dog
Favourite drink? Chocolate milkshake
Favourite cycling race? Tour de France
Favourite season? Summer
Milk or dark chocolate? Milk
One day or stage races? Stage races
Morning or night person? Morning
Favourite pizza topping? Chicken
Favourite sport? Cycling

What does Ubuntu mean to you?You can’t do it alone.

Antonio Mendez Perez

Nationality: Spain
Home: Granada, Spain
Role: Mechanic
Dog or cat person? Dog person
Favourite drink? Water
Favourite cycling race? Enjoying all races
Favourite season? Spring
Milk or dark chocolate? Milk chocolate
One day or stage races? Stage races
Morning or night person? Morning person
Favourite pizza topping? More cheese
Favourite sport? Cycling

What does Ubuntu mean to you?
Work together helping each other with empathy to reach objectives.

Andrei Kunitski

Nationality: Belarus
Home: Krzeptow, Poland
Role: Mechanic
Dog or cat person? Dog
Favourite drink? Apple juice
Favourite cycling race? Vuelta a España
Favourite season? Summer
Milk or dark chocolate? Milk
One day or stage races? Stage races
Morning or night person? Morning
Favourite pizza topping? Olive oil
Favourite sport? Tennis

What does Ubuntu mean to you? Togetherness

Our Newsletter

Sign up for exclusive insights, news & special offers!

Join Our Community and get 10% off Q36.5!

Subscribe

By signing up, you agree to receive emails from Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. You can unsubscribe anytime.