INEOS Grenadiers is looking to change the momentum with the team's ongoing bad situation and this year could be one of change. Into the upcoming transfer season, the team will have to make big moves in the market and it starts early, as it's said that one of France's upcoming talents is in sights of the British team.
This is Kévin Vauquelin, reportedly a rider of great interest to INEOS according to journalist Daniel Benson who is on the ground at the Etoile de Bessègess - where he is one of the big favourites to win the overall classification, and is the reigning vice-champion. INEOS' 2025 signings were very modest, perhaps shaken up a bit with the recent transfer of Caleb Ewan whose contract with Team Jayco AlUla was broken at some point during the winter so as to make way for a departure. The team signed Axel Laurance perhaps as it's most promising rider, and they may continue to focus on the French riders with Vauquelin now being in sight.
There is very important context to the 23-year old's situation, which is that at the time being, Arkéa - B&B Hotels run the risk of ending this season. The World Tour outfit are currently in relegation position, but above all it continues to struggle with it's sponsors and the team may see it's fate decided as soon as March or April, if it fails to find a big sponsor that can bring in the budget to compensate the ones that are set to leave this season.
The team has a few quality riders that are of great interest to other teams and perhaps Vauquelin is the biggest of all. In 2024, besides Bessèges, he was a Top10 finisher at Tirreno-Adriatico, Itzulia Basque Country, second at Flèche Wallonne, and won stage 2 of the Tour de France in Bologna, winning from the day's breakaway. He is a quality stage-racer who can time-trial quite well. According to Benson INEOS and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale are aready interested in the Frenchman.
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Kévin Vauquelin is still on the market; nothing is signed at this moment in time. Lots of interest from teams, including French squads, especially Decathlon, and Ineos.
— Dnlbenson (@dnlbenson) February 5, 2025
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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.
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