"It is clear that Jumbo-Visma has passed us in the pecking order" - Geraint Thomas aware of INEOS Grenadiers struggles but sees improvements

Recent years have seen an improvement of the level the riders hit in the mountains. INEOS Grenadiers, who had ruled over the Grand Tours over the past decade, found themselves behind Jumbo-Visma, UAE Team Emirates and others, and Geraint Thomas tackles that topic.

“We are clearly outflanked. We are still holding our own, but there are one or two teams better. It is always difficult to be at the top, because other teams do everything they can to dethrone you. We've changed from the hunted to the hunter, and now it's up to us to make it difficult for those teams again," the Welshman said in the Watts Occuring podcast. "It is clear that Jumbo-Visma has passed us in the pecking order. But I wouldn't dare say that about UAE Emirates. If you exclude Tadej Pogacar from that team, they of course still have a number of very strong riders. But look at the Vuelta, they didn't stand out at all.”

INEOS in the meantime did not have the men in the Vuelta fighting for GC, with Thomas himself struggling. Nevertheless, the veteran rode to second at the Giro d'Italia and was close to bringing the British team a much needed victory. Nowadays both the teams above make life hard for INEOS in the mountains with their depth and strong leaders, whilst INEOS saw several leaders leave the ship - now with Thomas and Carlos Rodríguez being the best cards for the Grand Tours.

“We are a team in transition for various reasons, but we are now moving in the right direction," the 37-year old assures, although it is not yet certain if he will continue his career past this season. "Dave Brailsford has seen his role within the team change due to health issues, as well as a number of key people leaving. Fran Miller, Rod Ellingworth, Tim Kerrison: when you look at the list of people who have left, it is not a small change.”