Once the most dominant force heading into the
Tour de France, the
INEOS Grenadiers aren't quite the powerhouse they once were, but in a strong and versatile lineup for the 2025 edition of the Grand Boucle however, the British-based outfit have plenty of opportunity for success.
The final team to announce their lineup, INEOS Grenadiers' delay was reportedly down to the return of Sir Dave Brailsford into the mix, with respected cycling
journalist Daniel Benson reporting that: "Reason INEOS have been late to announcing their Tour team is because Dave Brailsford is back in a big way. He’s deciding the tour team. Was being finalised last night…"
As mentioned though, the team announcement has now, finally arrived, led by the all-star trio of
Carlos Rodriguez,
Geraint Thomas and
Filippo Ganna.
“We've selected a strong and experienced group of riders with the collective knowledge of how best to compete over three weeks, racing against the toughest competition in our sport. Carlos will be our leader, given his consistent climbing performances and his unwavering drive and resilience. He has been focussed on building towards the Tour all year and he is coming into the race in good form," explains Dr. Scott Drawer, Performance Director at the INEOS Grenadiers, in
a press release on the team's official website.
“Supporting Carlos is a group that's ridden multiple Tour de France editions and have the experience to handle whatever the race throws at us. Geraint, as a previous winner, with all his knowledge and his cool, calm head will be critical support to Carlos and the whole team, both on and off the bike," Drawer adds. “It’s going to be a very special edition of the Tour, with every single one of the 3338.8 kms battled out across French soil. As a team, we have been racing this season in the way we love - aggressively and with freedom and flair - and we are ready to bring more of the same to the biggest race of the year.”
Rodriguez is a former stage winner at the Tour de France
Leading the general classification charge of the INEOS Grenadiers will be Rodriguez, with the podium a seeming target for success after a difficult campaign so far. “It was a bit of a tough start to the season with the crash in February, but I recovered pretty quickly and have been building back ever since," the Spaniard explains.
"The goal was always to line up at the Tour in July in my best form. Everything so far has gone to plan. I have managed to prepare well with some high-quality training and I have some good racing in the legs," Rodriguez concludes. “Of course, it’s going to be a tough race against the best in the world but we will be coming out fighting and aim to be right up there at the front. It’s going to be an epic race and a real spectacle for the fans.”
INEOS Grenadiers for the 2025 Tour de France:
Surprised there's no De Plus.