Another departure in INEOS - Egan Bernal and Carlos Rodríguez' coach another absence for 2025

Things continue to look rough for INEOS Grenadiers. 2025 will be a year of change within the team, in structure and goals. Staff like Dan Bigham have left the team whilst Luke Rowe retired as a long-term rider for the team to became a DS for a rival team; and now coach Xabier Artetxe, famous for guiding the team's top climbing talents, will also abandon the project at the end of 2024.

The team's roster as well suffers a hit this winter with Jhonatan Narváez leaving to UAE Team Emirates and both Hayter brothers - once hoped to be Britain's next big figures - also leaving. Ethan Hayter was also very vocal about the struggles in the team, as were other figures, and this was most notable in the non-selection of Tom Pidcock for Il Lombardia.

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At the time being we still do not know whether Pidcock will remain with the British team or not. Right after the controversy it seemed like a certainty, with several teams in contact with the multi-discipline expert, but that has since faded and Daniel Benson - who is reporting Artetxe's departure - also said that the possible deal with Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team had not been successful.

Carlos Rodríguez will, however, continue to be the team's main hope for the Grand Tours next year, one of the few big leaders with a lot of potential that the team manage to keep on board (although it took a big effort in 2023, after Movistar almost secured a deal). The team is changing it's focus to stage wins and classics according to incoming DS Kurt Asle Arvesen.

In the mountains the team will have to find a replacement for the coach who has led the team's climbers throughout the past few seasons. Artetxe was in charge of preparing riders such as Carlos Rodríguez and Egan Bernal, and so another change is necessary for the upcoming year.

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Yet more changes at Ineos Grenadiers with their head coach out the door.

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🚨Head coach Xabier Artetxe departs Ineos Grenadiers The Spaniard directly coached Egan Bernal and Carlos Rodríguez dnlbenson.substack.com/p/head-coach-x…

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