"A top bloke and he’ll definitely be missed" - Geraint Thomas gutted by Rod Ellingworth's INEOS Grenadiers departure

News broke last week that Rod Ellingworth would be departing his role as INEOS Grenadiers racing director and this news came as a great shock to the team's star rider, former Tour de France winner, Geraint Thomas.

“I say disappointing but it was gutting really to see Rod step down or leave, or however you want to phrase it," Thomas reflects on his Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast. "I spoke to him and he’s sad to be leaving but family stuff and whatever, and I don’t want to go into all the details, but from my side, and having known him for so long - a good twenty years now - on a personal level I know him well and we get on. I feel like he was good and great for the team."

Thomas and Ellingworth actually shared a conversation about the news. “It was all over Twitter and he sent me a message saying he was leaving but it was leaked, which isn’t a surprise really. It will be sad to see him leave but he’ll still be around," Thomas explains. "He’ll still be following and he wants to be involved in the sport because that’s what he does and loves. Good luck to him."

Although Thomas himself has recently signed an extension to his contract, Ellingworth's departure marks the continued reshuffle within the INEOS Grenadiers. "It’s all change in the team now I guess," says Thomas, referring to Dave Brailsford's involvement with Manchester United and Roger Hammond also departing the backroom team. "A top bloke and he’ll definitely be missed.”