In a significant move aimed at revitalising their performance, the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team has appointed Geraint Thomas to the newly created position of director of racing. The announcement comes just weeks after the Welsh rider's retirement from professional competition at this year's Tour of Britain.
From Peloton to Management
The 2018 Tour de France champion will work closely with Ineos head of sport Dave Brailsford and performance director Scott Drawer, bringing his extensive racing knowledge to bear on critical team decisions. Thomas's responsibilities will include providing crucial input into race strategy, rider recruitment, development and race readiness.
"This team has been my home since day one, and stepping into this role feels like a natural next step," Thomas stated. "I'm passionate about helping the next generation come through, to pass on that experience and keep pushing the team forward towards our mission of winning Grand Tours again."
Addressing Team Challenges
The appointment forms part of a major management reshuffle at Ineos Grenadiers, which has seen sports directors Zak Dempster and Oli Cookson move to the revamped Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team. Thomas's guile, experience and deep knowledge of the peloton are expected to plug a significant expertise gap that has become apparent in recent seasons.
The British team has struggled to compete for podium positions in Grand Tours, failing to win one since 2021. This decline was acknowledged last July when Brailsford, making his return to the Tour de France following his involvement with Manchester United, admitted he had "a lot of catching up to do."
Thomas himself has been critical of the team's management structure, describing it in 2024 as being "like a coalition government" and noting that "it was a lot more straightforward with Dave at the top. There was clarity with everything."
A Strategic Partnership
Brailsford's long-standing working relationship with Thomas proved instrumental in the recruitment process. "Geraint knows what the process takes, how to deal with the highs and lows of elite sport and his willingness to now share this and mentor others to do the same is a great asset for the team," Brailsford commented.
The Welshman brings a unique blend of stage racing and one-day racing experience to the role, having most recently finished on a Grand Tour podium at the 2024 Giro d'Italia, where he placed third behind Tadej Pogacar. His appointment signals a determined effort by Ineos to close the gap on dominant forces in cycling, including four-time Tour de France winner Pogacar and his rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel.
As aerodynamics expert Dan Bigham noted after announcing his departure from the team in 2024: "Ineos are not where they want to be, nor where they need to be and the gap is not small." The hope within the team is that Thomas's transition from rider to director will mark the beginning of a successful new chapter for the once-dominant British outfit.
