New super team on the block? INEOS Grenadiers reported to be close to finding an extra title sponsor

Long gone are the days of the mythical Team Sky, and those where INEOS Grenadiers won Grand Tours and monuments. The British team has not been able to improve alongside cycling's top teams and is now on the backfoot. However, it is looking to return to the top, and it is reported that the team is close to signing with a new sponsor to bring in important extra budget.

The British team has over the past four seasons had an extreme deficit when it comes to it's transfer seasons, losing leaders such as Tom Pidcock, Dylan van Baarle, Adam Yates, Richard Carapaz, Daniel Martínez, Jhonatan Narváez... Not to mention the likes of Chris Froome, Richie Porte and Rohan Dennis who were not at their prime anymore but have stopped performing as strongly in their last years with the team. Egan Bernal's crash and injuries also prevented him, for a long time, from obtaining results - whilst the team also lost several important staff members such as Bernal and Rodríguez own coach Xabier Artetxe, for example.

In contrast, few of it's recent signings have gone on to perform at the top level and the team was somewhat saved by the evolution of Carlos Rodríguez, who impressed in 2023 to win a Tour de France stage over Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, but in 2024 - despite being a strong and consistent rider - couldn't battle for the podium in a Grand Tour. It's a team that continues to have a high budget but at this point in time, it's lower than UAE. But UAE and Visma are not only able to sign leaders from rival teams, but they are also able to attract massive amounts of young talent who then develop into new leaders.

INEOS is in difficulties, and this winter they have signed a deal with a German continental team to finally, over a decade later, have a development structure where they can better manage and work on young riders. It is a step in the right direction, but at a point where the team has perhaps hit the lowest of lows, with the contract breaking of Olympic Champion Tom Pidcock. However not all is dark over the horizon, according to Gazzetta dello Sport's Ciro Scognamiglio, the team could be very close to finding a deal with 'a new important sponsor' which could be announced as soon as this summer (similar to the deals of Red Bull in the BORA team, or Lidl in the Lidl-Trek structure over the past couple years), or perhaps starting in the 2026 season.

Several teams have reached and ever overtaken INEOS' level, who now enter a new phase of their history. The Italian journalist has reiterated the high possibility of a deal coming to light soon, as he states the team have confirmed to be looking for a second title sponsor.