Team Ineos Discussion thread

[Izzyeviel]

Raises the question though, how does letting another rider go up the road without chasing help get a team win? That’s exactly what a dom accompanying a leader in a final group would be expected to do. What else was he waiting for? To lead Wiggins out in a sprint against Boonen on the Velodrome?

maybe wiggo got dropped & needed G to get him back.

was quite nice to see two GC guys battle it out on the cobbles. would never see that today...

 

[stonerider]

was quite nice to see two GC guys battle it out on the cobbles. would never see that today...

...and Pog says, "hold my beer"

 

[AmRacer]

...and Pog says, "hold my beer"

Pog is just one GC GOAT, who should the other one be?

 

[YavorD]

maybe wiggo got dropped & needed G to get him back.

was quite nice to see two GC guys battle it out on the cobbles. would never see that today...

But Thomas wasn't a GC rider at the time and Wiggo was all but finished as a GC rider, so I would say 1/2 of a GC rider battling it.

 

[awavey]

Steve Cummings has confirmed he has left the team this week, comes after the 2025 squad and coaches all met up in Manchester for a get together.

 

[Rob5091]

Steve Cummings has confirmed he has left the team this week, comes after the 2025 squad and coaches all met up in Manchester for a get together.

Pidcock stays, Cummings goes, is there a connection?

 

[LongtimeLurker]

Pidcock stays, Cummings goes, is there a connection?

Like strawberries and cream - more influence of Kurt I would imagine

 

[awavey]

Pidcock stays, Cummings goes, is there a connection?

Possibly...not sure, it always felt more than a clash or rider vs DS, but Brian Smith has posted a selection of tweets about the state of Team Ineos that are interesting

https://twitter.com/x/status/1854090608291238356

View: https://x.com/BriSmithy/status/1854090608291238356

 

[Rob5091]

Some interesting comments about the state of the peloton too -
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...critical-of-ineos-grenadiers-repeated-mishaps

Smith however was not only upset with how INEOS has dealt with it's problems, but also how modern cycling is changing and is extremely performance-driven all year long. "There is no fun in cycling teams anymore. Science has killed this. Robotic riders and robotic sports directors. Gone are the GRINTA days. Riders now know what they can achieve, what they are up against and turn up at races in a poor mental health state".

"That’s what numbers do to riders. The mental state of a rider is now being left at the side of the road because of the numbers game," he argues. "Altitude, haemoglobin muscle testing, scientists seem to be the way forward. If a rider is not happy then you are flogging a dead horse. This is where a team needs people like Steve Cummings and not more personnel with letters after their name".

 

[Salvarani]

Some interesting comments about the state of the peloton too -
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...critical-of-ineos-grenadiers-repeated-mishaps

Sounds like sore losers and complaining for falling behind because of lack of interest/investment to keep up with the times.

 

[ciranda]

Possibly...not sure, it always felt more than a clash or rider vs DS, but Brian Smith has posted a selection of tweets about the state of Team Ineos that are interesting

https://twitter.com/x/status/1854090608291238356

View: https://x.com/BriSmithy/status/1854090608291238356

why would other teams want this man in particular?

 

[Peter von]

Sounds like sore losers and complaining for falling behind because of lack of interest/investment to keep up with the times.

yeah, sounds a lot like what older teams where saying when SKY started dominating .

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Was that Smith handing in his notice to EuroIneoSport then?

 

[Izzyeviel]

Some interesting comments about the state of the peloton too -
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...critical-of-ineos-grenadiers-repeated-mishaps

I had to google what a grinta day is. Yeah, still no idea.

Grinta is that barbaric energy that gives mere boys the power of men, the force that keeps someone playing beyond injury or strength.

 

[Squire]

why would other teams want this man in particular?

Because he's a mate of Brian Smith from the time Smith was general manager for Team Dimension Data.

 

[Unchained]

Because he's a mate of Brian Smith from the time Smith was general manager for Team Dimension Data.

So the teams objectives are...? Pidcock is who? A road riding force to mix it up w top road racers, stage racers?
Is Pidcock a one day racer?
Is he just racing road as a novelty and mountain bike results are most important? Who is the leader of Ineos? Is it Bernal? He would already need to overcome internal team baggage of his teammates saying he is paid to win, paid for leadership and can't deliver.
Pidcock needs support for MTB events, needs days of prep and recon, likely needs a mechanic and massage person, each could maybe double as driver and on course feed..don't get how MTB fits into training or racing objectives for a 99% road oriented squad. They should fold before title sponsors get sick of seeing their name and brands associated with dysfunction and losing, inner bickering and confusion. Instead of more riders or coaches, Ineos needs public relations campaign blitz to change wave of negative publicity that has them looking like a clown show!!

 

[Sneekes]

Cummings always seemed an odd choice for a DS. He raced his bike in an atypical fashion, and he was not afraid of upsetting an applecart or two, both of which made him a favourite of mine. But, I'm not sure they are attributes I'd want in a DS.
IG are in a mess, and I have no idea if all these changes are going to make it better or worse - but at least they are now recognising there is an issue to fix.

 

[postmanhat]

Cummings always seemed an odd choice for a DS. He raced his bike in an atypical fashion, and he was not afraid of upsetting an applecart or two, both of which made him a favourite of mine. But, I'm not sure they are attributes I'd want in a DS.
IG are in a mess, and I have no idea if all these changes are going to make it better or worse - but at least they are now recognising there is an issue to fix.

Never really understood that either. Rarely rode for the team, and mostly hung around at the back of the peleton waiting to snatch the occasional stage victory.

Probably old news, but Ineos's partnership with Kern-Haus has been officially announced. Bit half-hearted, but another step in the right direction I suppose. I wonder if riders like Storm, and possibly August will join this team?

https://www.ineosgrenadiers.com/news/development-partnership-launched-with-lotto-kern-haus-psd-bank/

 

[Mayomaniac]

Cummings always seemed an odd choice for a DS. He raced his bike in an atypical fashion, and he was not afraid of upsetting an applecart or two, both of which made him a favourite of mine. But, I'm not sure they are attributes I'd want in a DS.
IG are in a mess, and I have no idea if all these changes are going to make it better or worse - but at least they are now recognising there is an issue to fix.

Also always a bit of an outsider within British cycling and more of a lone wolf who mainly road for himself.

 

[RedheadDane]

I wonder if riders like Storm, and possibly August will join this team?

Talking about Storm, assuming he does indeed stay with the WT team - unless whatever kept him away from racing this whole year means that he'll need to step down and start over.
Given that he didn't race this year, could Ineos, by the time 2026 rolls around, claim that he's still technically within his two-year neo-pro stint, thus having him count towards one of the minimum required number of neo-pros to have a full 30-rider roster?

Though, I do wonder if several of the Lotto K-H riders for next year aren't simply going to be some of those riders who were on the team this year, and doesn't appear to have a contract for next year.

 

[awavey]

Also always a bit of an outsider within British cycling and more of a lone wolf who mainly road for himself.

Which aren't necessarily bad qualities for a DS who is providing an alternate view on things, the risk is always they all end up in the same mindset so discount the unusual race tactics or training or differences which often delivered Steve his wins.

Luke Rowe mentioned in an interview recently Ineos has got into a pattern where they repeated the same things, same training camps, same approach to races all the time just because they had worked in the past They weren't challenging themselves to be different or better.

All that said my impression from the outside is personality clashes are never a problem when you're winning, when you're not performing they become THE issue.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

The only one to preserve dawg mode at this team is The Dawg.

Hire him!

 

[stonerider]

It seems Ineos wants their biggest stars to focus more on the road. Ganna is going to quit chasing glory on the Track scene and focus more on the road. This is similar to Ineos wanting Pidcock to dial down MTB and focus more on the road.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Doesn't strike me as much of a shrinking violet Thomas. Pretty funny stuff.

 

[KZD]

So they have just lost Pidcock, which despite being overrated was still one of their best riders.

I predict team Ineos is going to disappear in the next 2/3 years.