Carlos Rodríguez Tour of Austria performances invite big question - Was his Tour de France omission a mistake?
CyclingMonday, 13 July 2026 at 09:51
Carlos Rodríguez’s fourth place at the Tour of Austria is far from a poor result. The rider from Granada finished 1:47 behind winner Gregor Mühlberger and completed a week of racing without physical setbacks, something that only months ago was the main concern within Netcompany INEOS. However, the way the race unfolded and the names ahead of the Andalusian invite a deeper reflection.
Mühlberger won the overall with authority, but Rodriguez also conceded time to Kevin Vermaerke, one of Tadej Pogacar’s trusted lieutenants at UAE Team Emirates-XRG, and to a veteran Bauke Mollema who, at 39, is into the final months of a long career before retiring at season’s end. They are hardly the benchmarks to inspire optimism ahead of La Vuelta.
Even so, there is no concern within the British team. Rodríguez is still rebuilding towards his best after a year marred by injuries and physical issues. The collarbone fracture sustained at the UAE Tour, along with various setbacks in his preparation, completely disrupted his first half of the season and forced a full calendar rethink.
Precisely for that reason, it seems increasingly reasonable to think his absence from the Tour de France may have been a missed opportunity. Not to fight for the general classification, unrealistic given his current condition, but to regain race rhythm and bank top-intensity kilometres ahead of the Vuelta a España, the big goal circled in red.
Rodríguez’s Tour de France absence is part of his recovery plan
Moreover, Netcompany INEOS’s own performance at the Tour is feeding that debate. The British squad has come to the Grande Boucle without a clear GC leader, opting for a stage-hunting strategy.
Kévin Vauquelin and Michal Kwiatkowski have shown flashes, but neither seems equipped to contest the places of honour. In that context, a Carlos Rodríguez at 80 or 85 percent might have been the team’s best card for a Top 10.
INEOS themselves have moved to quell any hint of controversy. Imanol Erviti, one of the team’s sports directors, was blunt a few days ago when explaining the Granadan’s absence in comments to Diario As. “It’s not a punishment. Carlos’s build-up to the Tour was not what we would have liked and the team decided he should be the reference for La Vuelta.”
Rodriguez is one of few INEOS GC riders
The Spanish director stressed the team’s full confidence in the Andalusian and recalled that his race programme — Tour of Austria, Clásica de San Sebastián and Vuelta a Burgos — is designed specifically to bring him to the Spanish Grand Tour in the best possible condition.
And that is the crux. Beyond a discreet fourth place in Austria, Carlos Rodríguez remains Netcompany one of INEOS’s prime asset for the Grand Tour. The team does not have many other riders capable of targeting the general classification over three weeks and, barring surprises, the structure will revolve around the Spaniard from next month.
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The result in Austria leaves questions, because the level is still far from what took him to fifth at the Tour de France in 2023. But it also brings a positive sign: Carlos is racing consistently again and without physical limitations.
He may not yet be ready to trade blows with the very best, but July was never the goal. Carlos Rodríguez’s real countdown starts now. And in September, on the roads of a Vuelta a España that will shine through his home region, Andalusia, he will once again be the undisputed leader of an INEOS that still looks back with nostalgia at the cycling benchmark it once was as a structure.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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