Team Ineos Discussion thread

[JRanton]

Has there been anything in the Belgian press about Laurens De Plus’ absence from racing since the Tour de Suisse? I know in the past he’s missed long spells through illness.

 

[JRanton]

Ineos has had a very dull Vuelta so far, offering almost nothing to the race. Hopefully this approach is not linked to Brailsfraud being back.
The model used in the Giro is much preferred, now its just drip drip, drip, with the tank being empty at the end without having done anything.
And yes, the parcours doesn't offer a lot, but still the point still stand imo.

I would expect much more traditional Sky/Ineos racing style with Brailsford back in charge and Geraint Thomas becoming head of racing.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I would expect much more traditional Sky/Ineos racing style with Brailsford back in charge and Geraint Thomas becoming head of racing.

I was afraid of that. RIP entertainment.

 

[AlfaLum]

Ineos has nothing to gain from that racing style. They dont have any captains that are the strongest in most of the WT races on the calendar. They dont have the strongest domestiques either.

The Ineos/Sky train worked like a charm back in the days because all the other riders were dropping of the back once that train was rolling over the mountains. Nowadays you would have 6 UAE and 6 Visma riders sitting on the wheel of the last Ineos domestique if they use the same strategy.

So I think it is very unlikely that Brailsford and Thomas will break with the more attacking strategy employed recently.

 

[Escarabajo]

Sky/INEOS performance was worst before they started winning back in 2010-2011!

 

[Peter von]

I just think INEOS lacked riders with the legs to make a big splash in the Vuelta. UAE had the superior stage hunters across the board, we saw a few INEOS attempts from breaks and attempts to get into the breaks, they just didn't have the legs for it imo.

They still have a team full of overpaid former super doms and talented riders that aren't quite as good as the ones that went to UAE and a few other teams.

 

[Hugh Januss]

The Ineos/Sky train worked like a charm back in the days because all the other riders were dropping of the back once that train was rolling over the mountains. Nowadays you would have 6 UAE and 6 Visma riders sitting on the wheel of the last Ineos domestique if they use the same strategy.

That doesn't exclude them from trying it though.

 

[Wyndbrook]

I just think INEOS lacked riders with the legs to make a big splash in the Vuelta. UAE had the superior stage hunters across the board, we saw a few INEOS attempts from breaks and attempts to get into the breaks, they just didn't have the legs for it imo.

They still have a team full of overpaid former super doms and talented riders that aren't quite as good as the ones that went to UAE and a few other teams.

They did win three stages though.

 

[Peter von]

They did win three stages though.

Yeah, maybe it wasn't a big splash by SKY standards, but still a pretty decently sized splash. I could have worded it better, because you are right that 3 stage wins is not to be scoffed at.

But i do still think that overall INEOS are still struggling to find their leaders of tomorrow and that it is really tough for them to strategize their way out of that problem.

 

[JRanton]

I thought it was interesting that Red Bull have poached Zak Dempster and Oliver Cookson from Ineos and handed them important positions in their new management structure. Perhaps suggests that the Ineos staff aren’t as bad as some have made out.