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Ian Boswell tells problems with INEOS: "I am friends with some riders who in recent years chose not to sign with the team and instead decided to go to Jumbo for much less money"
CyclingWednesday, 29 November 2023 at 21:51
Jumbo-Visma and UAE Team Emirates have taken over the top of the cycling world, overtaking INEOS Grenadiers which ruled the 2010s when it came to stage-races. Most surprisingly however the Dutch team did so without the same financial resources, and former INEOS rider Ian Boswell has revealed that he knows riders who let go of the money in search of success in Jumbo over the British team.
“It was a British team with a very strong identity. They knew very well who they were and what they wanted. Afterwards, they never asked or determined the question again: who are we as a team?” Boswell said in an interview with The Cycling Podcast. “They have stuck to the idea: we are a team for the Grand Tours, we want to win the Tour. But if you look at the selection now: do they have someone who can theoretically do that? I do not think so."
With the departure of many leaders and the injury of Egan Bernal, the team was reduced to a few figures. Into 2024, Carlos Rodríguez and Geraint Thomas make up it's main figures to fight for an overall classification in the three-week races. However it is not expected that they will be able to match the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. INEOS over the last few years has taken a step back from the level they had in their Team Sky years, where Boswell raced from some of it's golden years between 2013 and 2017.
“It's a bit worrying. I am friends with some riders who in recent years chose not to sign with the team and instead decided to go to Jumbo for much less money," he admits. Having deep connections with the team and the world of pro cycling - he remains a rider currently, mostly in gravel events despite having retired from the road back in 2019 - he tells that riders currently make the clear option to join Jumbo because of the team's performance. Similar to how Team Sky used to net several leaders from other teams, but having the financial boost to help make it happen.
"Just because of what they have heard internally, because of what is happening at INEOS Grenadiers, because of the culture of the team, the dynamics… The riders I know want to race for a lot less money with a team where they can probably achieve more success, at a team that is more… I don't want to say 'more functional', but a team that is currently higher, a team that is on the rise instead of a team that seems to take a step backwards every year," he concluded.
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- Thanks Dadmobk22-12-2024
- Hard to believe with the advancment of modern medicine he can not find a cause for this.frieders321-12-2024
- You continue to platform these two cheats. With that in mind I can no longer use your site. I know my leaving means little, but, sometimes you have to take a stand. See ya!DJ21-12-2024
- Look at what Froome’s won since his last TdF, stop denying there is still more than possible one outcome to the future.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- Bruyneel understands nothing about clean competition.Sweep21-12-2024
- Exactly. Remco won 3 WT races/stages last year compared to Pogocar's 19. Remco's single stage win in last years TdF earned him a meager 12 seconds over Pogocar who shellac'd him by 9 minutes in GC.Sweep21-12-2024
- Fortunately and as you point out, more than one strategy is possible and worth trying and I’m sure all concerned riders are well informed and counselled on this subject and don’t need such basic personal advice through media from an outsider.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- The main SPOTY award is "decided" by public vote but the BBC "expert panel" decide who you can choose from, that choice has an equal split of genders and is focussed on the sports BBC show and a disabled athlete. Oh yea the ubiquitous "Pub Games" candidate there too, Darts and Snooker are not sports. The other awards are decided by the "Expert Panel" again it's about the sports BBC show, cycling has had it. Cav got his for his years and achievements in the sport, not just that 35th TDF win. Unless the BBC get access to Pro Cycling it will never feature "adequately" on SPOTYslappers6621-12-2024
- Ahhh..... you have to understand the "strange" diversity concepts of the BBCslappers6621-12-2024
- Avoiding him is a good strategy, you get more wins and then you can compete in the TDF relatively relaxed. Pit yourself against Pogi and not only there will be no wins, it will be considerable mental setbackabstractengineer21-12-2024