After 15 years, INEOS Grenadiers finally create its own British development team - "They’re young, keen and it’s brilliant to have them"

INEOS Grenadiers is one of the world's top teams, but in a sport where more and more the young riders perform at the top level, having a development team is absolutely key. This was a project in the making in recent years, but it has now come together. The British team officially has a continental-level under-23 group from 2026 onwards.

“The academy system played a major role in shaping my career. It taught me how to be a pro - looking after myself, staying healthy, being organised and preparing properly," Geraint Thomas, now the team's director of racing, has said in a press release.

"All those simple habits and behaviours have stayed with me throughout my career. For me, the priority is helping young riders learn what it means to be a professional. Some are living away from home for the first time, some have moved across the world, so there’s a lot for them to take on. It’s about race-craft, understanding their bodies and managing their emotions, and not just hitting numbers. It’s the full package".

This move comes long overdue for the British team, who amongst the top teams, was the only one that did not have an under-23 project. Many have wondered why this was the case, specially taking into consideration the team's high budget, but it is not longer a missing piece.

Whilst the likes of UAE, Visma, Lidl-Trek, Red Bull - BORA and many others set young riders up into their projects from a young age, developing them and having them grow trust and intimacy with the teams, INEOS found itself having to sign all its young riders.

It even signed young riders straight out of the juniors, then not having them with a meaningful calendar, or having them 'loaned' to an under-23 team for a year. In 2025 there was the partnership with German continental team Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank, which served as its development team. But now a project fully within INEOS has been created.

“We have signed some exciting guys to the Racing Academy, and seeing all of them together for the first time, felt like I was stepping back 20 years. I could picture myself sitting where they are now, with the whole journey ahead of them. They’re young, keen and it’s brilliant to have them integrated with the WorldTour team.”  

It is a project with ambition, but already quality. Outside of the World Tour, the 12 riders can race with the team throughout the year, also allowing it to extend its calendar and provide the young riders with the opportunity of teaming up with some of the world's best. The team features Theodor Storm, who raced for INEOS in 2024 and then the German team in 2025; and U23 Lidl-Trek's Cameron Rogers as their headliners.

The British Josh Charlton, Matthew Dodd, Max Hinds, Dylan Sage and Max Standen are all present in the team; there are two Italians in Davide Frigo (brother of NSN rider Marco Frigo) and Nicolas Milesi; France's Hugo Boucher; Australian's Fletcher Medway and Eritrea's Milkias Maekele who was a rider for Bike Aid this year.