INEOS Grenadiers' leader Carlos Rodríguez: "The way of functioning and of setting the objectives are changing"
Cycling
At 23 years of age Carlos Rodríguez had a superb season as the main GC rider for INEOS Grenadiers. He won the queen stages of Itzulia and the Dauphiné, finishing second and fourth in the GC respectively; and the GC at the Tour de Romandie. At the Grand Tours he did not have as much success, and he looks towards that step in 2025.
"The team is undergoing an important change from the structure. We have to adapt. Both the way of functioning and of setting the objectives are changing and we hope that it is for the better," Rodríguez said in an interview with Marca. "We are working to return to being the reference team that we were before. Regarding my season, it could have been better, but I am happy".
The Spaniard took on the Tour de France where he rode to a 7th place, and then the Vuelta a España where he looked to be on the path to finish in the same position, but a bad day in the final mountain stage saw him fall to 10th. Nevertheless, it was a long season with several big wins which he can look back to. Now, he aims for the Tour-Vuelta double again in 2025.
"Yes, initially, the challenge is to do well in the Tour de France, but that is not the only challenge. I would also like to be in La Vuelta afterwards. The idea is to start [the season] in Valencia and then go on to make things more concrete". He will be joined by Egan Bernal who took an important step back to his level this year, but the results are hardly the same due to the sport's recent evoltuion:
"The relationship with Egan is very good. After last year's Tour, where he took it as a recovery to try not to have discomfort, I think he is having good results. He is preparing well, as always, and I think that 2025 could be a great year for him," Rodríguez says.
The pressure on INEOS is on after two rough seasons, but Rodríguez manages it well it seems: "The pressure is to do the best you can and try to win. That's what we train for and make sacrifices for. The team also wants me to do the best I can, but the first person interested is always myself."
After the Vuelta presentation, Rodríguez showed himself eager to make a return to his home Grand Tour. "A route as always very hard and full of opportunities. It is a shame that this year it will not touch the south as in 2024, but there will be opportunities to do it as well as possible. It is going to be a Vuelta conducive to the spectacle that the fans will surely like. I have never been to Angliru and I think it will be nice to be there. I think that, in general terms, it is a good route".
On Pablo Torres, another of Spain's emerging talents, he commented: It is exciting that there are young riders from your own country who are doing well. In addition, Pablo seems like a good person and a good kid although I have not spent much time with him. I would tell him to take it easy these first few years because a cyclist's career is usually long. He should try to learn as much as possible because his time will surely come".
Lastly on the choice of Spain's new national coach between Alejandro Valverde and Óscar Freire, the youngster does not want to choose sides: "The truth is that I am staying out of it. When the news comes out I will find out who the new coach is".
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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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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)...
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