The 5 INEOS Grenadiers riders that are still looking for a team - Renewal or departure incoming?

INEOS Grenadiers currently have 22 riders confirmed for their 2026 lineup, with eight positions left to fill. In their roster currently are five riders who have not renewed with the team or signed a contract with any other. What will be of their future?

Kwiatkowski is obviously the biggest name on this list but also the rider who has the least worries regarding his situation. The Polish rider, former World Champion, monument winner and Tour de France stage collector has been a super domestique for several years but remains well capable of fighting for results of his won - having won the Clàsica Jaen Paraiso Interior this year.

Kwiatkowski could renew with the team, but having been linked to Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team a few months ago meant that there was space and likely interest for a departure. It's not certain what will be of Kwiatkowski at this point in the winter but the non-announcement of a renewal must mean that he is looking to leave the British team.

However with less space and budget from many teams, time is running short for an ideal opportunity. Hence Kwiatkowski may have a deadline as to when he may find a new team, and if it does not happen, a renewal would be logical as he is a key figure of INEOS.

The Colombian is Egan Bernal's right-hand man, and his presence in the team had been influenced by his teammate. However that by no means undermines his quality, which was visible this year more than ever. In 2024 he finished on the Top10 of the UAE Tour and Vuelta a Burgos whilst finishing second and winning a stage at the Tour of Austria.

But this year he came close to beating Tom Pidcock on the second day of the Vuelta a Andalucia, came fourth in one of the stages at the Giro d'Italia - revealing a sprinting talent - and most notably, was the rider that exploded and carried the Isaac del Toro-Wout van Aert group in the Giro's 'Strade Bianche stage'. His work throughout many kilometers for Egan Bernal hasn't gone unnoticed and it truly showed the versatility and quality of the 29-year old, who also raced the Vuelta.

Part of INEOS since 2010 - although there was a two-year UAE stint with UAE Team Emirates - XRG in 2017 and 2018, Swift is one of the household names. His experience is almost unmatched in the pro peloton, and with the Rotherham native continuing to find the motivation and eagerness to race at the highest level, it has been a no brainer for INEOS to renew him on several occasions. Early in his career the Briton was a very strong sprinter and classics rider, having World Tour stages conquered in multiple races and even finishing on the podium of Milano-Sanremo on two separate occasions (2014 and 2016).

In his second stint with INEOS, that began in 2019, he was signed on a domestique role. He has won the British national title on two occasions (2019 and 2021) but those were his only wins. He has stepped back to a domestique role, in which he thrived, not only on flat and rolling terrain but even in the mountains - the 2023 Giro d'Italia, where he rode side by side with Geraint Thomas for many kilometers, being a prime example.

The 38-year old Swift is simply a quality rider with experience that becomes even more valuable as the peloton grows ever-younger. In his own right, he continues to be a quality classics rider, having finished fourth very recently at the Super 8 Classic, a race in which he was only topped by Arnaud de Lie, Matthew Brennan and Arnaud de Lie.

The German, like Michael Leonard, is one of INEOS' strangest cases. Both were signed as young riders who were to develop within the team, but seem to be stepping away as they reach their best career-level - not the usual sight for a team with such a high budget. It must be said, chances of renewal are quite serious, but no deal has been put on paper by mid-November, which is likely a sign of an imminent departure.

Heiduk hasn't yet taken a pro win, but over the past four seasons he's been a solid aprt of the British team and has evolved quite well. Over his entire stint he has been a domestique for the team's many leaders, but was often visible working and seemed to be a rider who had adapted to his role very well. But in his palmarès are also quality results such as a Top10 at the 2023 Brabantse Pijl and a Top10 (alongside doing the same in three stages) at the Tour de Wallonie.  

Signed on a one-year contract, Lucas Hamilton was brought over from Team Jayco AlUla after many years racing in Australia. His season didn't pile up to much, he was signed to be a domestique and another card for the team in the mountains but simply did not find his best level. He raced the Giro d'Italia in support of Egan Bernal but his appearances in the spotlight this year were few and far between. A return to Jayco could be possible as the Australian team has lost several climbers and is looking to rebuild its block, whilst a renewal with INEOS is perhaps the least likely of all the riders.