In late December, Q36.5 Pro Cycling completed their roster with a double dose of Pidcock firepower, adding Joseph "Joey" Pidcock, younger brother of Olympic champion Tom. The move from the Continental level to the ProTour squad signalled an opportunity for the 22-year-old to firmly move from a "sinister" health challenge and prove himself as a professional athlete.
In a revealing post on social media Monday, Joey Pidcock shared his struggle prior to being diagnosed with ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which has been linked to mental as well as physical problems in children and adults. He stated that starting on medication was life-changing.
"November 2023 I started on ADHD meds soon after a diagnosis and it completely changed my life. It was as if I suddenly stopped walking through 3 feet deep water like I had all my life," Pidcock wrote on his Instagram feed.
"It was like having to learn everything in life at 21. I’ve come a long way but I think it’s fair to say I’ve still work to do."
He disclosed that there was a significant improvement to his overall health once the racing season commenced in February 2024, where he won stage 4 at Dornan Rás Mumhan in Ireland, his first victory in more than three years. Then a month later, he won the first UCI race of his career, taking a bunch sprint victory on stage 5 at Ronde de l'Isard.
"It’s not like the meds are magic, they couldn’t fix my concussion or cure COVID that ruined the rest of my year, I still need to see a [psychologist - ed.] every week and I’m not saying I don’t have to work for what I want," Pidcock continued.
"But before I always felt depressed and unmotivated. I had a hard time socialising, making and especially keeping friends. And that’s not just motivation for cycling, it’s everything. Like seeing friends, cooking dinner, texting my mum back, going to sleep, getting out of bed."
"I think the hardest part of it was I was incapable of helping myself. I didn’t even realise it wasn’t normal and I couldn’t have sorted any of this out without help."
The young Briton went on to encourage readers of his post to seek help if they or someone they knew were in a "similar situation". He also disclosed that he may have Asperger's syndrome, which like ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, and both have similar symptoms though they are different conditions.
"It’s very possible I have Aspergers and ADHD but I don’t think the label matters. I don’t want sympathy for any of this, I just think the world thinks ADHD just means you can’t sit still in school but from my experience, it’s a lot more sinister than that," he said.
"Basically I owe everything to my family for getting me to where I needed to be. I’d be a bit fucked without yous. Thanks mum."
Now with new kits and equipment deployed in early January and an opportunity for the brothers to race together on the pro level for the first time, the motivation to succeed in 2025 was high for Joey.
"Now with Q36.5 Pro Cycling I believe I’ve found my new home. I’m really grateful and excited for the years ahead. I wouldn’t have accepted a place here if I didn’t think I was capable. I’ll make sure it’s worth everyone’s time."
He joined Groupama-FDJ’s development team in 2021 and then raced the last two seasons for Trinity Racing, which folded operations after five seasons as a development team at the end of 2024. Joey signed through 2026 to ride for Q36.5, while his brother, two-and-a-half years older, sealed a contract with the Swiss ProTeam for three years.
