The INEOS Grenadiers, once an unshakeable force in professional cycling, are experiencing their most challenging year to date in 2024. A team that once dominated the grand tours with legends like Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, and Egan Bernal, now finds itself struggling to find a home at the front of the peloton.
As the Vuelta a España approaches its critical stages, it's becoming evident that the 2024 season has brought more frustration than triumphs for the team.
Struggling in Spain
As of Stage 12 of the Vuelta, the team's best-placed rider, Carlos Rodriguez, sits in sixth place, over five minutes behind the overall leader, Ben O'Connor. While Rodriguez wears the white jersey as the leader of the young rider's classification, this feels like a poor consolation for a team that once routinely contended for overall victories at every grand tour. To be more than five minutes off the leader's pace, especially this deep into the race, signals a significant decline from the days when INEOS would dominate, controlling the peloton’s every move.
While Rodriguez's status as a rising star in cycling is undeniable, even his white jersey victory would feel like a far cry from the achievements the team once celebrated. A team that was built on winning general classifications now finds itself searching for any victories to celebrate.
Tour de France 2024
INEOS' misfortunes in 2024 weren’t limited to the Vuelta. Their Tour de France campaign earlier this year was arguably their worst in recent memory. Once again, Carlos Rodriguez was the sole bright spot for the team, finishing in 7th place. However, his performance was overshadowed by the sheer dominance of Tadej Pogačar, who won the overall classification. Rodriguez finished a staggering 25 minutes down on the Slovenian, a margin that illustrates the gulf between INEOS and the sport's current elite.
For a team that once set the standard for performance and domination at the Tour, the results were hard to swallow. There were no stage victories, no podium finish, and barely a presence in the key mountain stages where INEOS once thrived. The once-mighty machine appeared not only weakened but broken.
A Drought of Grand Tour Success
The team’s failure at the Tour de France and struggles at the Vuelta follow an all-too-familiar pattern this season. INEOS Grenadiers have not won a grand tour stage since the Giro d'Italia in May, when Filippo Ganna powered to victory in the stage 14 time trial. While Ganna’s victory was impressive, it was a rare highlight in a season that has seen more questions than answers for the team.
The lack of grand tour stage victories underscores the team's fall from grace. INEOS, formerly Team Sky, once set the benchmark for dominating entire grand tours, winning general classifications while also securing numerous stage victories. This year, however, they’ve been left grasping for any success, with Ganna’s time trial victory one of the few.
Rumours of Unrest
Adding to their on-the-road struggles are rumours of unrest behind the scenes. Tom Pidcock, the British all-rounder who seemed poised to be a future leader of the team, has been linked with a potential exit despite being under contract until 2027. Pidcock is one of the most exciting talents in the sport, excelling in everything from road racing to cyclocross and mountain biking. His departure would be a massive blow to INEOS, which is already struggling to hold onto its top riders.
The team is also set to lose Jhonatan Narváez at the end of the season. The Ecuadorian rider, who claimed a victory on stage 1 of this year’s Giro d’Italia, will join UAE Team Emirates in 2025. Narváez’s departure further diminishes the team's depth, as UAE continues to strengthen its already formidable roster, which includes the likes of Pogačar, Juan Ayuso and João Almeida.
Behind the scenes, tensions appear to be brewing in the team’s management as well. Steve Cummings, a former Tour de France stage winner and respected sports director, has reportedly been left out of races this season. Cummings led the team as sports director during the 2023 Tour de France and was a key figure in the popular Netflix series Tour de France: Unchained, which provided viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the team. However, the show also revealed tensions between Cummings and Pidcock, highlighting potential friction within the squad. With Cummings sidelined and internal unrest apparent, the team seems far from the cohesive unit it once was.
A Team at a Crossroads?
As these issues pile up, it’s hard not to wonder if INEOS Grenadiers’ dominance in cycling is fading into the past. Their decline isn’t just about results on the road; there are deeper issues at play. The team that once had seemingly endless financial backing and cutting-edge resources now appears to be at a crossroads. INEOS’ owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is now more involved with football, co-owning Manchester United and reportedly focusing more of his attention on that venture. This has led to speculation that cycling is no longer the priority for the INEOS group, raising questions about the team’s long-term future.
If Ratcliffe’s interest in cycling wanes, it could spell the end of one of the sport's most powerful teams. INEOS Grenadiers were built on a foundation of cutting-edge technology, analytics, and resources, backed by one of the world’s wealthiest individuals. However, with Ratcliffe’s attention shifting elsewhere, the team may struggle to maintain its competitive edge.
The End of an Era?
There’s a growing sense that we may be witnessing the beginning of the end for INEOS Grenadiers. The team no longer has the talent pool that carried them through the 2010s. Riders like Froome, Thomas, and Bernal were supreme talents who executed the team’s plans to near perfection. Now, the team is struggling to find its next superstar.
Moreover, the managerial turmoil and shifting priorities off the bike add to the sense that INEOS is a team in decline. Without the single-minded focus on cycling that once defined the team, it’s hard to see how they can return to their former glory.
In 2024, INEOS Grenadiers find themselves at a low point, struggling for results, managing internal conflicts, and possibly facing an uncertain future as Sir Jim Ratcliffe shifts his focus. Once a powerhouse in cycling, they now seem like a team grappling with a fading identity, unable to match the dominance they once had. Whether this is a temporary slump or the beginning of a long-term decline remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: INEOS are no longer the kings of the road.
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