INEOS reducing investment on World Tour team as oil giant steps in - Great Britain could lose its only professional team

INEOS Grenadiers have plenty of riders living and residing in the Nice-Monaco area. This year, French oil giant TotalEnergies has entered the frame as a team sponsor and from 2027 onwards, a title sponsor, which will lead to INEOS reducing its investment in the team. And potentially, the team may choose to end its British license, which would effectively see the end of the last remaining British team that races anywhere near the top of the sport.

British cycling is in a massive crisis and so is INEOS Grenadiers. The team's future isn't at risk, and in fact seems more stable than most World Tour formations, as a new title sponsor is making its way next winter. This will mean that TotalEnergies, the French team, will have to look for a new title sponsor and the risk of another team ending is quite real, however that is not to the concern of the British giant who in the 2010's dominated the Grand Tour scene, with multiple Tour de France victories coming from three different British athletes - Chris Froome, Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas.

But whilst that was happening, the British cycling scene slowly faded away in professional terms, with lots of races coming to an end, and the same scenario being found in teams. The European nation only has one professional team currently in the men's peloton, literally, less than nations such as Kirgizstan, Morocco, Romania or Iran - teams that have very little tradition in the sport.

The Tour of Britain has also seen its race day count diminish, and this year only six stages were held, although the race remains very popular amongst fans and riders. Needless to say too that with the retirement of icons such as Mark Cavendish, Geraint Thomas and soon Chris Froome, the country's prominence is simply not the same.

INEOS has also struggled to keep the British talent on board, with national champion Ethan Hayter and the team's British star and Olympic Champion Tom Pidcock both leaving, unhappy with the actions from team management. And over the past few years, besides Carlos Rodríguez and the youngster Joshua Tarling, very few transfers have made a serious difference - whilst the team in no way holds the same power it did until the 2021 or 2022 seasons.

Hence to try and regain its position at least as a competitor to the likes of UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the team looked to obtain new support. It has succeeded in the form of TotalEnergies that will join as a title sponsor from 2027 onwards, but the budget will not increase. According to Cyclingnews, the budget will remain rather the same, just above €50 million a year, with a third being covered by the French company whilst INEOS itself will reduce the investment in the team. TotalEnergies' approximate €15 million investment will mimic its current investment in the second division team.

According to the report, there are also rumours circulating that the team might take on a French license from 2028 or 2029 onwards, in line with the entry of TotalEnergies as a meaningful part of the team. The signings of French national champion Dorian Godon and Kévin Vauquelin are already the start of a push towards the French market, whilst the rising supertalent Paul Seixas - whose contract with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale runs until 2027 currently - could also be part of the team's future and goal to return to the top.