Sir Dave Brailsford set to play crucial role in Geraint Thomas’ transition into INEOS Grenadiers management
Cycling
Sir Dave Brailsford is stepping back from his day to day
involvement with Manchester United to concentrate on his broader
responsibilities as director of sport at INEOS.
The 61-year-old will retain his position on the football
club’s board, but his influence behind the scenes is set to diminish as he
redirects his focus to overseeing INEOS’ global sporting ventures. Brailsford,
is a close ally of INEOS owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and has been a prominent
figure at Manchester United since the start of 2024, when Ratcliffe acquired a
minority stake and assumed control of football operations.
While Brailsford’s presence at Old Trafford has criticism
from some quarters, he remains a trusted man within the INEOS hierarchy. His
reduced role at United reflects a strategic shift, rather than a falling out,
as the company seeks to recalibrate its efforts across its various sporting
investments.
The change in focus comes at a turbulent time. In 2024, both
Manchester United and INEOS Grenadiers suffered disappointing seasons. Though
fortunes have improved for the cycling team in 2025, United’s struggles on the
pitch have deepened, increasing pressure on the management structure Brailsford
helped assemble.
Since Team Sky became INEOS they have won the Tour de France
just once, with Egan Bernal in 2019. But, 2025 has certainly started on a much
more positive note for the team, after their terrible 2024.
Geraint Thomas will retire at the end of 2025
Looking ahead, one of Brailsford’s key priorities will be to
guide the transition of Geraint Thomas into a leadership role within the INEOS
Grenadiers setup. The 2018 Tour de France champion, now 39, is expected to
retire at the end of the 2025 season, after one final appearance in cycling’s
most prestigious race next month.
Thomas remains contracted to the team as a rider but is
already being prepared for a future off the bike. His vast experience and close
ties to the INEOS project make him a natural candidate for a managerial or
mentoring position. Sooner or later, it seems likely that Geraint Thomas will
become, “DS Thomas.”
Brailsford’s legacy in cycling is deeply rooted in the
success of Team Sky, which he helped establish in 2009. Under his leadership,
the team redefined professional cycling, winning multiple Grand Tours with
riders such as Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Thomas, and Egan Bernal. The
outfit remains one of the sport’s wealthiest and most influential teams, but
must challenge the rise of Visma and UAE if they are to return to the top.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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