INEOS' Rod Ellingworth praises team for 'brilliant' Giro d'Italia thus far - If nothing happens, Pogacar will win, but if something does, G has got to be ready to pounce on it
Cycling
Rod Ellingworth is one of the key figures behind the development of INEOS Grenadiers in the 2010's and currently he is a team principal at the British team. He is keeping a very close eye at the team's Giro d'Italia performances and has nothing but complements to what he argues is a 'brilliant' race.
“I think they’re doing as well as I’ve ever seen, and they’re riding superbly well," Ellingworth told Cyclingnews at the Giro. "They’re getting led really well by Zak (Zak Dempster, the DS, ed.), and G[eraint Thomas] is G - he’s solid, and all the lads really respect him and ride for him." After last year's brilliant second place that almost resulted in a GC win from Thomas, the veteran has prepared perfectly for the race once again and sits third in the GC after 10 stages - only behind Tadej Pogacar and Daniel Martínez.
Ellingworth is keen to complement Jhonatan Narváez for his strong performances, which put on good display the team's new aggressive racing approach, but has good words on most of the team present at the Giro. So far, a consistent GC performance sees Thomas well within a shot of a podium or even victory in the right circumstances; whilst the team has already won a stage and led the race as well.
“So the way they’re racing is brilliant, and Geraint’s just got to bide his time. Who knows with Pogacar and what’s going to happen," Ellingworth argues, believing that the Welshman is in striking position in case something happens to the pink jersey. "If nothing happens, he’ll win, but if something does, G has got to be ready to pounce on it. So yeah, they’re racing really well as a unit, and it’s brilliant to see.”
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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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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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MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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Another “solid” day complete at the #Giro 💪 @GeraintThomas86 talks through stage 10, which saw him finish just ahead of the Maglia Rosa 🎥
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