“It will never go to plan” – Geraint Thomas reacts as INEOS’ dream of Tour de France yellow unravels in dramatic team time trial finale
CyclingSaturday, 04 July 2026 at 19:54
Netcompany INEOS left Barcelona with Filippo Ganna second overall at the 2026 Tour de France, but without the yellow jersey they had chased through the opening team time trial.
Ganna crossed the line 7.33 seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard and Team Visma | Lease a Bike after Kevin Vauquelin’s puncture forced INEOS to change course late on Stage 1. Speaking afterwards in a post-stage interview where CyclingUpToDate were present, Geraint Thomas pointed to the chaos that hit the team’s original plan.
“It will never go to plan”
“I said earlier today, you have your plan and it will never go to plan,” Thomas reacted. “It’s how you adapt to it.”
INEOS had been fastest at the opening checkpoint and set a time that only Visma would beat by the finish. Vauquelin had been one of their clearest yellow jersey options, but the Frenchman punctured before the final climb and dropped out of the line as INEOS continued towards Montjuic.
“It’s just a shame to lose Kevin with that puncture,” Thomas admitted. “I feel for him because he hasn’t had much luck this year, but that’s the way it is. I think everyone did what they could in the moment.”
Ganna then became the INEOS rider sent towards the line. He finished in 21:55.20, enough to beat Lidl-Trek, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe and UAE Team Emirates – XRG, but not Visma, who arrived later with Vingegaard and took both the stage and the first yellow jersey.
Thomas is the INEOS Director of Racing
Ganna takes over after Vauquelin puncture
Asked whether Ganna had been part of a back-up plan, Thomas said the Italian took responsibility once the race changed. “No, he took it on really,” Thomas said. “We knew he was going to be strong.”
Thomas also praised Josh Tarling, whose Tour preparation had been disrupted by a broken collarbone. The 21-year-old still formed part of the INEOS engine room on a day when the team came close to yellow despite losing Vauquelin.
“We knew Joshua wasn’t going to be what he was before he broke his collarbone a few weeks ago, so fair play to Joshua,” Thomas said. “He delivered what we expected, well, kind of a bit more than what we expected really. Everyone stepped up and did their bit. But yeah, that’s how it goes.”
INEOS also drew attention before the start with riders placing their arms in cold-water containers during the warm-up. Thomas described it as “a bit of a pre-cooling strategy” designed “to keep the core temperature down” on a hot opening day in Barcelona.
Vauquelin still targeting stages
Vauquelin’s puncture took him out of the yellow jersey picture on Stage 1, but Thomas said it should not alter the Frenchman’s wider Tour role. “No, I don’t think so,” he said when asked whether the setback changes the next few stages. “He was coming here to not worry about the GC and just go after stages. It’s really like a team in general: 21 one-day races.”
INEOS begin Stage 2 with Ganna second overall, eight seconds behind Vingegaard, while Vauquelin has already absorbed his first setback of the race. The team missed yellow in Barcelona, but Thomas’ message was that the Tour does not narrow around one lost opportunity.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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