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Tao Geoghegan Hart on the reason why he switched teams: "The whole experience could've been very different if it wasn't for the way in which the management of INEOS have supported me"
CyclingSunday, 19 November 2023 at 23:01
Tao Geoghegan Hart has returned to his best level this year but had an unfortunate and premature end to his season at the Giro d'Italia. Fighting for the pink jersey, the Briton crashed and suffered serious injuries. Ultimately, he moved away from INEOS Grenadiers and towards a new challenge at Lidl-Trek.
"I was also in a perfect position: I was five seconds behind Geraint [Thomas] after I was held up by a crash during a bunch sprint and lost nineteen seconds. Without that crash I would have been in the pink, but with the pressure of that jersey and the obligations associated with it, it might have been more difficult," Hart said in The Cycling Podcast. "At that moment I see three riders crashing into the wet road surface in a bend. Two of the three were Geraint and Primoz [Roglic]. With most falls you know how hard you are falling and the moment I hit the ground I knew what had happened. I knew I couldn't stand up, took off my helmet and immediately accepted my fate. In the ambulance I was in a lot of pain as the car hit every hole in the road."
Hart's crash was one of many within the big favourites of the Corsa Rosa, but was perhaps the one who suffered the biggest consequences. A fractured pelvis ended his season in May, and he is yet to make a return to racing. That will only happen in the 2024 season with Lidl-Trek. The 28-year old is moving on from INEOS Grenadiers after seven seasons.
The British team loses another of it's climbers to a rival team. Hart explains his departure: "The first thing to say in that regard was how well supported I've been by INEOS Grenadiers as you alluded to there. It's quite an unusual situation to change team during a process like this, I think the whole experience could've been very different if it wasn't for the way in which the management of INEOS have supported me and the staff; the extent to which they've gone to make sure that the best decisions and actions are made for the rest of my career. Which is above and beyond really, and I think it's quite unusual and deserves to be highlighted and given a lot of credit for and for me to be incredibly grateful for".
Now he is set to take on a new challenge. Firstly to ensure that he's recovered from the injuries that have taken away months of his career, and then to return to his best level. The Briton hopes to fight for the overall classification at the Tour de France next season.
It was a move that made sense for him. "First of all, I knew a lot of riders there. For example, at the age of 15 I already rode against riders like Toms Skujins. Secondly, the equipment also played a role, because I also rode a Trek bike as a junior," he explains. "In general, I also liked the overall project; the team went through many changes in sponsorship and how they saw the future. That's why I'm definitely looking forward to next season."
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