"It’s a completely different team now" - Chris Froome sees no similarities between Team Sky and the INEOS Grenadiers

When you think of 2010s in professional cycling, it's likely the first things that come to your mind, are Chris Froome and the all-conquering Team Sky train that dominated the Grand Tours of the decade. In 2024 though, the future of Team Sky - now named INEOS Grenadiers is looking more uncertain than ever.

Far from the suffocation of the peloton they enjoyed in their Froome-led heyday, the INEOS Grenadiers of 2024 have been relegated to also-rans more often than not. Despite Geraint Thomas' back-to-back podiums at the Giro d'Italia, Maillot Jaune challenges at the Tour de France have been none existent in recent years, even taking into account the aforementioned Welshman's distant 3rd overall in 2022.

Froome too is not the force he once was. Turning 40 next May, Froome is still riding for Israel - Premier Tech and concluded his season's action this Sunday in Asia at the Tour de France Singapore Criterium, where he then spoke to Velo. Still one of the biggest names in the sport, the seven-time Grand Tour winner was asked about his former team's recent woes.

“I think about the real core team of people who was there when I was there, and those people are not there anymore. We’re talking about Tim Kerrison, Fran Millar, Dave Brailsford," Froome comments, seeing little to no similarities of the current operation compared to the peloton leading force he once rode in. “A lot of the riders I was with at the time, all those people have left and are no longer part of the team. So it’s natural to think it’s a completely different team now, which I believe it is.”

Despite outside rumours and speculation regarding the future of the team, comments from those within the set up insist they are looking to the future with optimism. Whether the INEOS Grenadiers can ever get back to the Team Sky heyday and start winning the Tour de France again or, like Froome, the team are set to fade more and more into the background of the peloton in the biggest races remains to be seen.