Britain’s Tom Pidcock says he will not contest this year’s Tour de France with his new Q36.5 team.
The 25-year-old left Ineos Grenadiers in December following three successful years with the top British team.
“We’ll have a year out from the Tour and try to get to the Tour 2026,” he told BBC Sport.
“I’m happy I’ve got a year out from it… a break. When I come back it’ll be with a refreshed energy.”
Pidcock’s Swiss-based ProTeam are currently in cycling’s second tier, below the World Tour where each of the 18 teams are automatically invited to the sport’s biggest races, including the three three-week Grand Tours.
But the Yorkshireman said he and his team will focus on some of the biggest one-day races this year.
“We don’t have full control over the calendar – have to get invited [to races],” added Pidcock. “But in theory we should have all the races that I want to do.”
He claimed one of the Tour’s most iconic stages in 2022, on stage 12’s race to Alpe d’Huez, where he famously reached speeds of nearly 100km/h during the descents.
Pidcock has also won the Strade Bianche, Amstel Gold and Brabantse Pijl one-day classic races in an Ineos jersey, as well as two Olympic mountain bike gold medals for Great Britain.
Q36.5 are widely expected to be invited to many of the sport’s top races this year and beyond, thanks to Pidcock’s signing, and strong financial backing.
The sport’s governing body operates a points-based system in which teams can be relegated and promoted between the World Tour and ProTeam level every three years.
Pidcock will begin his season at the five-stage AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia on 28 January.