Geraint Thomas on managing INEOS and even João Almeida signing became a topic - "I certainly wouldn't say no"
Cycling
INEOS Grenadiers arrived to the Volta ao Algarve with an incredibly strong lineup featuring the likes of Filippo Ganna, two-time Tour de France stage winner Thymen Arensman and the Grand Boucle's breakthroughs Oscar Onley and Kévin Vauquelin. There is another new face in the team, in the car behind that is, with Geraint Thomas making his debut as a sports director and also learning how to manage the men who are now on paper not his teammates anymore.
"I'm still getting used to everything, I had to learn how to use a laptop. I'm involved with sports and that's what I wanted. I had two days sitting at home and I got bored, I have to do something," Thomas said in words to Rádio Renascença.
"Sometimes it's difficult, even talking about the selection of cyclists with them, but I'm not the one who chooses the teams, I only have a say. It's different, I have to put my emotions aside and be honest with the cyclists. Everyone understands the professional side".
Thomas became the Head of Racing for INEOS and has been a very vocal voice to the media since his change of roles. His experience in the peloton makes him an incredibly promising figure on the team car, and he has begun putting in the miles behind the peloton now with a lot of the riders that are set to headline the team's Tour lineup.
"I told them on the bus that it's not mandatory to win now just because they cost so much money, but they are in good shape, they had a good winter." Thomas assures that the big goals of the season lie later, and the 'Algarvia' is being used as preparation towards them.
"We want them to be well and for there to be good communication. We have two reinforcements in the team and there's a lot of learning ahead. We have three cyclists for the GC and that has its challenges, which everyone understands. It's the beginning of a new phase; they will be the 'core' of the team in the coming years".
INEOS' rivals
It will be a challenging task, with the team having several GC options, however facing very tough competition. Thomas was asked about his main rivals, and was also met with a surprising question regarding if he would be happy to have João Almeida in his team.
"I certainly wouldn't say no," he joked. "João has already started well in Valencia, I think it will be a good year for him. Of course, there's Juan Ayuso, [Matthew] Riccitello, Paul Seixas and {Florian] Lipowitz, and I hope our boys also have good legs, there's always a good peloton in the Algarve".
Filippo Ganna will also be testing his legs in the time trial, whilst the team's '7' also includes Laurens de Plus, Kim Heiduk and Bob Jungels. Thomas is no longer on the bike, but knows very well the region and the roads, having won the race on two occasions in the past.
"I've always enjoyed coming to do the Volta ao Algarve, it has a bit of everything. There are some mountains, sprints and the time trial. It's a good place to start the season, it's a more discreet race, the weather is good. Portugal is a very peaceful place," he said.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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