“The sensations are very good with this new team”: Kevin Vauquelin makes immediate impact on INEOS debut at Algarve

Seven months away from racing is rarely the recipe for an immediate general classification result. Yet on his first outing since the 2025 Tour de France, Kevin Vauquelin delivered exactly that, finishing fifth overall at the 2026 Volta ao Algarve in his debut appearance for INEOS Grenadiers.

More telling than the placing itself was how quickly the Frenchman sounded at home in his new environment.

“The sensations are very good with this new team,” Vauquelin said after the final stage, in quotes collected by Cyclism’Actu.

“I attacked with Florian Lipowitz, I told myself, ‘you never know’. I’m happy with my legs," he added. "It was generally a good week, since it was my first race in more than seven months, so I’m very happy.”

The Algarve finale saw Vauquelin animate proceedings rather than simply defend his position. His late move on the decisive fifth stage did not unseat the overall favourites, but it reinforced the impression of a rider racing on instinct rather than caution.

“It was a good day for the team, even if Oscar was 10 centimetres short of winning,” he added, referencing team-mate Oscar Onley’s narrow defeat on the final climb.

That collective tone has become a recurring theme around INEOS in early 2026. After a period of recalibration across performance staff and leadership, the squad has begun the new campaign with visible cohesion. Vauquelin’s immediate top-five finish adds weight to the sense that new signings are integrating quickly into the structure.

His performance also offers a steady platform heading into the next phase of the season. “Now it’s time for a bit of rest, then I’ll continue training with Paris-Nice in mind,” he said. “There will be a team time trial, which should suit us. With Oscar, we’ll probably have an opportunity to aim for a good overall classification.”

For INEOS, Algarve was less about chasing the headline overall victory and more about confirming depth and direction. With Onley narrowly missing out on a stage win and Vauquelin securing fifth overall, the team placed multiple riders at the sharp end of the race.

Crucially, this came in Vauquelin’s first competitive week in more than half a year. There were no signs of hesitation or adaptation lag. Instead, there was a rider willing to attack, confident in his legs and comfortable in his surroundings.

That confidence, expressed simply as “very good sensations”, may prove more significant than the result itself. As INEOS continue their structural reset into 2026, early signs suggest that the latest addition to their roster has slotted in without friction.

Algarve will not define the season. But for Vauquelin, and for INEOS, it offered something valuable: confirmation that momentum is building, and that new pieces are beginning to fit.