2024 Season Review | INEOS Grenadiers: Tom Pidcock drama, relying on Geraint Thomas, and Tour de France failure see the team have a nightmare season
Cycling
Over the past few weeks, we have started to review how each World Tour team performed throughout the 2024 season. We’ve had some positive reviews, and also some negative views, and unfortunately for many British cycling fans today’s review of the INEOS Grenadiers will struggle to be particularly positive. Sir Jim Ratcliffe may be starting his journey to repair the damage at Manchester United, but he’s also going to have to start having a real look at his cycling team’s performances. United may have had their worst start to a Premier League season, but INEOS’ entire campaign was their worst ever.
The team finished the season on 15,548 points, dropping down to 7th below Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe, and Lidl – Trek, in the rankings. They finished fourth in 2023, but the seventh place this year is definitely a fair reflection of what is going on at the team. INEOS won just 14 races throughout their disappointing campaign and were very lacklustre in the grand tours.
The INEOS Grenadiers have been the topic of much discussion throughout the off-season so far, thanks largely to the ongoing rumours of Tom Pidcock leaving the team, and the changes happening in the squad’s management staff. So, let’s take a look at why INEOS are coming under so much pressure at the moment, and what needs to be done for the once dominant team to get back to winning ways.
Spring season
The team’s spring season wasn’t as bad as most people remember, and Tom Pidcock in particular was pretty bright. After Jhonatan Narváez and Josh Tarling picked up wins in the very early stages of the season, Tom Pidcock came alive at the Amstel Gold Race and won to bring 225 points to the team. In a dramatic sprint finish at the Amstel Gold Race, Pidcock finally claimed the win at the classic, as he managed to outsprint Ben Healy and Alexey Lutsenko and win on the line. This victory was significant, especially after Pidcock had been denied a win in a controversial 2022 edition of the same race.
Pidcock was also strong at Strade Bianche, but could do nothing as Tadej Pogacar unleashed an astonishing 80 km solo attack that was actually the first sign that the Slovenian would have no match in 2024. Aside from Pidcock the team was pretty quiet in the other spring classics, although Filippo Ganna was unfortunate to suffer a mechanical issue at Milano-Sanremo that meant he couldn’t contest the win.
Grand Tour season
Other than a couple of stage wins with Narváez and Filippo Ganna at the Giro d’Italia in May, the team had a shocking grand tour year. But, before we get to that, let’s be fair to Narváez and look back at what was a brilliant victory on the opening grand tour stage of the year. In a thrilling first day in Italy, Narváez, wearing his national jersey, outsprinted Tadej Pogacar to claim victory. This was actually quite a significant moment, as it probably denied Tadej Pogacar the chance to be the only wearer of the pink jersey at the Giro.
Geraint Thomas also made it back on to the podium after another strong showing at the Giro. Thomas, who was cruelly denied victory by Primoz Roglic at the 2023 Giro, was not match for Pogacar, but still did very well in the high mountains to show he still has it. But, INEOS’s continued reliance on Thomas, who is now 38, to pick up podiums is a worry, and they desperately need to find someone to take his place in the team.
Despite this bright start, the last grand tour stage INEOS won was Ganna’s Giro stage 14 time trial victory. Yep, the team went blank at the Tour de France and the Vuelta, but how could this happen to the once dominant team?
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At the Tour de France, INEOS Grenadiers’ performance was a shadow of their former dominance. Gone were the days when they controlled the peloton with an iron fist and set up their leaders for grand victories. Instead, the team struggled to make any significant impact, failing to secure a single stage win, as Carlos Rodríguez, who had been tipped as one of their potential breakout stars, was unable to contend for a podium spot. The collective strategy seemed off, with riders unable to support each other effectively and individual tactics that lacked the cohesion the team was once known for.
The Vuelta a España was similarly underwhelming. While the race was filled with fierce competition, INEOS found themselves overwhelmed and underpowered when compared to team’s led by Roglic, Enric Mas and Ben O’Connor. The lack of a clear leader further compounded their issues, resulting in a complete absence of stage victories.
In short, INEOS have fallen completely away from their form of the 2010s.
The 2010s were a decade of unparalleled success for INEOS Grenadiers, then known as Team Sky. Their rise to the top was built on rider talent, and also as one of the most efficient team’s in terms of management, training and strategy, in the sport’s history. Chris Froome was their grand tour leader, securing four Tour de France titles and triumphs in the Vuelta and Giro, and for a long while they seemed to be unbeatable.
The team's style, often criticised for being overly controlling, set the benchmark for what it meant to be a successful grand tour team. However, when Froome left the team in 2021, it signalled a significant shift. His departure not only impacted his career, which never fully recovered from his major accident, but also marked the beginning of a decline for the team. Froome’s ability to pull the team together towards one goal was superb, and without him, INEOS have seemed to lack that same unity and clear leadership.
Grand tour success is central to the team’s identity, it not only reflects their status among the elite but also attracts the best talent and sponsorships. Their struggles in recent years underline the importance of reestablishing themselves in this arena if they are to continue to be considered one of the sport’s big names.
Transfers
The rumoured departure of Tom Pidcock has been the most significant talking points of the off season, and his time at INEOS Grenadiers has always marred by questions regarding their chemistry. While Pidcock brought moments of brilliance, such as his Amstel Gold Race win, some believe he has not been consistent enough, particularly in his grand tour performances. Should Pidcock leave, it will be another blow to a team that has struggled to retain and attract star riders in the last few years. Jhonatan Narváez’s impending transfer to UAE Team Emirates is another worrying sign, as it adds to the concern that INEOS may struggle to attract top talent moving forward unless they improve their performance on the world stage.
However, there are some positive notes. INEOS secured Axel Laurance, last year’s U23 World Champion. The French rider is an exciting prospect and a much-needed addition to a squad that is looking to revitalise its roster. While this move shows promise, the team needs a significant turnaround in results to make themselves attractive to other high-calibre cyclists.
Final verdict: 3/10
Yep, it could be time for panic stations at the INEOS Grenadiers. Is this a team clinging to former successes? Is this a team that may not be around for too much longer under this name? We’re not sure yet, but cycling fans are quickly getting used to not seeing INEOS riders on their screens, instead of controlling the race at the front of the peloton as they did throughout the 2010s.
The team has no clear GC rider, and despite the wealth of talent they still have at their disposal, the team is no longer the draw it used to be for the sport’s best young riders. Should Pidcock decide to stay, then 2025 is a massive year for him and the team to gel together and get some big wins, as INEOS can’t continue to rely on Geraint Thomas.
The team has of course begun to switch around it’s management team, but the question is whether this will be enough to change their fortunes in 2025?
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