Geraint Thomas is back! Tour de France champion officially returns to INEOS Grenadiers as new Director of Racing
Cycling
The next chapter of Geraint Thomas’ storied career has begun — and it brings him straight back into the heart of the organisation where he made his name.
On Wednesday morning the confirmed that the Welshman is officially stepping into a newly created role as the team’s Director of Racing, signalling both a significant internal reshuffle and a long-term commitment to rebuilding from within.
Thomas, one of the most decorated riders of his generation and an ever-present figure since the squad’s earliest days, now moves from the peloton to senior management.
He will work directly with Sir Dave Brailsford, Dr Scott Drawer and the wider leadership group, shaping everything from race strategy to rider development and recruitment.
A natural progression for one of British cycling’s defining figures
For a rider whose career includes a Tour de France victory, multiple Grand Tour podiums and two Olympic gold medals, the shift to a strategic leadership role feels like a seamless evolution — and Thomas himself framed it exactly that way.
“This team has been my home since day one, and stepping into this role feels like a natural next step,” he said in the official announcement. “I’ve learnt so much from the people around me – fellow riders and staff – and I now want to continue building on our incredible past success into the future.
“I’m passionate about helping the next generation come through, to pass on that experience and keep pushing the team forward towards our mission of winning Grand Tours again. The Grenadiers will continue to race with purpose, humility and a commitment to excellence – and I’m excited to help shape that future.”
His appointment reinforces the team’s long-term strategy to promote internal leaders, tapping into riders who understand not only the culture but also the high-performance processes that once made the squad the dominant Grand Tour force of its era.
Geraint Thomas retired at the 2025 Tour of Britain
Brailsford: “He typifies what it means to be a Grenadier”
Sir Dave Brailsford wasted no time highlighting why Thomas is the right figure to help redirect the team’s sporting strategy. “Geraint typifies what it means to be a Grenadier. He has lived and breathed elite performance throughout his career. He always set himself very ambitious goals and invariably went on to achieve them,” Brailsford said.
“He knows what the process takes, how to deal with the highs and lows of elite sport and his willingness to now share this and mentor others to do the same is a great asset for the team. The fact that he has stayed so humble and always maintained a great sense of humour are also great attributes to bring to his new role.”
A symbolic moment in the team’s evolution
Thomas has been central to countless defining moments in the team’s history, from its Tour de France dominance to major stage-race breakthroughs. His transition into leadership signals a renewed emphasis on identity, continuity and rediscovering the formula that once allowed the squad to rule Grand Tours.
And for fans still feeling the nostalgia of his Tour triumph and his many near-misses in recent years, the message is clear: Geraint Thomas never really left — but now he’s back in a way that could reshape the team’s future.
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.
claps 3visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- I think Jonas would have lost the TDF by 4+ minutes (at the least) and might not have even been in the top 3. Too much talent in the younger riders to say anyone not named Pogačar would have been top 3md197503-11-2026
- this is just stupid. you already have 23%, gravel is over the topabstractengineer03-11-2026
- There was once a time when Lance was supremely popular and he used his artificial "It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life" persona to lead his mob in going after Greg. There was no one Lance did not abuse in protecting his phony hero image. Lance promoted himself as a divine megastar and he let down millions of cancer victims and gullible devotees who clung far too long to the charade. Lance is the epitome of a corrupt person and because of his power, many around him, including business enterprises, succumbed to the evil. All who got in Armstrong's way were mercilessly attacked by him and his minions. This remarkably continues today with a new generation. LeMond was a number one enemy and paid a huge price. Who do you think slandered who?Yepperoni03-11-2026
- You despise him because he calls out the truth....OK clown !frieders303-11-2026
- JV is really slighting himself with not doing the 1 dayers.. 🤷
leedorney02-11-2026 - Watch the interview on youtube. I don't speak French. I do speak English and Spanish and you can hear it in his voice. Years ago LeMond had real personal problems I imagine in no small part because of Armstrong. then Armstrong goes round "full blast" re: LeMond having drinking and drug problems. The same way Andreu was expelled from mainstream cycling so was LeMond. On the positive side the clips of the ride and chatting with old teammates and was good. To seemed like a fun day and experience and good reason brush up his French.atom02-11-2026
- and another no-news article around the ‚2 tokyo jogging rounds‘ headline, this time spiced with some days old ‚news‘ that the LA and japan vacation trips come during or after the tdf route release. i am getting more and more annoyed by this time-stealing no-news crap. but who am i to complain? nobody forces me to come back for more ‚news‘ day after day …Ketterechts02-11-2026
- It would likely be a very steep section of 4.1 km, not changing the average gradient considerably, with the climb remaining 10.1 km at 11.8%. It would reach 20% on the gravel. It would start 1.6 km in, and finish with 4.2 km left to climb (before the short final descent)
Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026 - Welcome to the off-season.
santiagobenites02-11-2026 - guillaume martin in this list is quite a surprise as a gc rider.Ketterechts02-11-2026
Loading
The start of a new chapter 📖 We are proud to announce the appointment of @GeraintThomas86 as Director of Racing 👊 ineosgrenadiers.com/news/geraint-t…
Write a comment