"We wanted to get a bit more out of it" - Geraint Thomas admits disappointment as INEOS leave Tour de France without stage win
CyclingTuesday, 28 July 2026 at 15:00
Geraint Thomas has admitted his disappointment as the INEOS Head of Racing assessed the team's Tour de France performance after the team failed to take a stage win or a high general classification placement.
With injuries and illness already putting the team on the backfoot before La Grand Boucle, Thomas is taking a long-term mentality approach when it comes to how the team pick up the pieces after the Paris finale on Sunday.
An injured Oscar Onley missed the grand tour after suffering a crash at the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes as well as Josh Tarling arriving while still on the mend from a broken collarbone while Kevin Vauquelin suffered an illness before the Tour and did not focus on general classification.
Focusing on stage wins, Egan Bernal picked up their best GC placing in 20th while their breakaway exploits weren't fruitful as well as a near-miss in the opening Team Time Trial in Barcelona.
"Obviously, it was a tough race. We wanted to get a bit more out of it," Thomas said via the Team.
"I think it started well with the TTT performance. Obviously we had a bit of bad luck and I didn't go our way."
Netcompany INEOS riders
Punctures and crashes hinder Tour de France
Untimely punctures and crashes hindered the likes of Bernal, Vauquelin and Thymen Arensman throughout the Tour, and Thomas acknowledged the riders' hard work and credited their effort.
He added: "Then a couple of crashes and a few untimely punctures meant it took a while just to get going. From there, the boys did what we wanted: they left it out on the road, they raced aggressively, they tried everything they could.
"Obviously, you want results at the end of the day, but when you go for stage wins, it means the mountain stages, the TT, and sprint stages wipe out a lot of the racing. There were five days that really ended in breakaways. We were always present, we were always there, but it just didn't happen. I don't think you can't fault the effort."
Looking forward, Thomas sees plenty of positives throughout the season to suggest that the British team can bounce back. In an honest admission, Thomas gave an insight into the team's mentality.
"It hurts, but when you're suffering, that's when it makes you really hone in on wanting to improve," he said. "The season as a whole, up to this point, I think is definitely a big, big positive. This month was hard, but I think we need to keep focused and keep pushing forward.
"You make a new plan, you get up, and you go after it, and you make it happen. So that's kind of the attitude I'm going to bring to it; that's the attitude that the team has, that the staff and the riders have. That's what we're going to try and do."
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Thomas and INEOS hope to bounce back
"We'll look at everything around the race, from coaching, nutrition, tactics, selection was tough because it was so changeable at the end. We'll look at every domain and just continue to push and look to improve in every aspect of it. That's what it's about. We go from there."
The 2027 Tour kicks off in the United Kingdom, and Thomas knows that the big target is to perform in the home country of the team.
"We've got the Grand Départ, that's exciting," he added. "We start in Edinburgh, then Liverpool, and then into Wales. It's going to be unbelievable. It's massive for the team, massive for the UK.
"We're a British team and we want to go there and perform and really capitalise on it. That's a really good target to have. I think everyone's super motivated for that. I, for one, can't wait. Let's get after it."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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