"At INEOS everyone is pulling the fire alarm now" - Lance Armstrong sends warning to Tom Pidcock and co
Cycling
There's no hiding the fact that of late, the INEOS Grenadiers haven't been at the level expected. Some questionable transfer business, behind the scenes turmoil and a relative lack of standout results have seen them slip from world's best a few years ago, to also rans in 2024.
These concerns haven't gone unnoticed either. On the latest episode of Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel's The Move podcast, the topic of the underachieving INEOS Grenadiers was discussed. Like many in the cycling world, both also sees issues within the current set up at INEOS.
"Look at Thomas Pidcock, who is a great rider by the way. He earns 4 million a year. That's the entire annual budget of Equipo Kern Pharma and they win three stages in the Vuelta," notes the controversial Armstrong, referencing the fact that whilst results have diminished for INEOS in recent years, the budget hasn't. "Believe me, at INEOS everyone is pulling the fire alarm now. It's sad to see."
"Everyone used to look at Team Sky as the model for success. Every rider was eager to ride for that team, but now there are doubts as to whether it is the right place," adds Johan Bruyneel. "After Dave Brailsford left, it seems like there is no one in charge anymore. The soul has gone out of it. They have 15 team managers, but who is actually leading the team?"
"The fact that important people like Daniel Bigham and Rod Ellingworth are leaving INEOS is a sign to me," Bruyneel concludes. "There will have to be a thorough restructuring."
Pidcock himself recently touched on the issues and admitted all is not well at the moment. "Yes, it is true that there are a number of things within the team that I have to deal with at the moment. And to be honest, they do not help me to perform optimally," the Brit told HLN from the Tour of Britain.
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Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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