Fourteen years ago, Josh Tarling stood with his family on the Champs-Élysées in Paris for the final day of the Tour de France. He was eight years old at the time, already an avid cyclist himself, watching on in awe as the yellow jersey wearer Bradley Wiggins led out his team-mate Mark Cavendish for the stage victory.

That race finale has since gone down in British cycling legend. For Tarling, it’s his earliest memory of the Tour – a race that, as of this month, the Netcompany-Ineos rider is now part of. His debut, however, has not been smooth sailing.

Three weeks before the race opened in Barcelona, the 22-year-old crashed at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, suffering a broken collarbone that threatened to derail his Tour plans. That injury is now mended, thanks to a surgeon in Germany, but there’s a pain that’s still lingering: he’s riding with a cracked rib.

“I had a rough start, but it’s coming,” Tarling told Cycling Weekly of his form ahead of the first rest day. “You just have like a rev limiter, you know? I get to the point where I get out of breath, and then I can’t get it back.”

The heat hasn’t helped, either. This year’s edition of the Tour looks set to be one of the hottest on record, with temperatures already exceeding 40°C in the opening week. They’re conditions that are attritional enough, even for those with all their ribs intact.

“It hurts when I breathe anyway,” Tarling said. “With the heat as well, obviously you’re breathing harder and the pain’s catching up. It just feels airless.”

On stage one, the former European time trial champion helped Netcompany-Ineos to second place in the team time trial – just eight seconds off the victory. He has since spent the remaining days within the peloton or the gruppetto, saving his energy perhaps for stage 16’s individual test against the clock.

How has he found his Tour experience so far? “I’ve never been in a race where there’s constant crowds,” Tarling said. “Here it’s just all day crowds. It’s crazy.”

Fourteen years ago, the Welshman would have been at the roadside with them.

It’s credit to his resolve that he’s riding through his discomfort, even finding the joy in it, determined to live out the Tour dream of his eight-year-old self.

“He’s a tough cookie for sure,” his father, Michael, posted on Instagram before the start of the race.

His mother, Dawn, shared the same sense of pride. “If anyone had any doubt about the sheer grit and determination needed to be a pro cyclist this is it,” she said, commending her son’s three-week crash comeback.

“This young man has given us so many reasons to be proud on and off the bike but this is mind blowing.”

Second on the stage, Egan Bernal in the green jersey, and still there was a feeling that Netcompany-Ineos had started the Tour de France with a dash of bad luck.

In the race’s opening team time trial in Barcelona, Filippo Ganna steered the team to within eight seconds of the stage win, and the race’s first yellow jersey, won instead by Jonas Vingegaard and Visma-Lease a Bike.

It seemed like a plan almost perfectly executed. Except Ganna was never meant to lead the charge to the line, Netcompany-Ineos director of racing Geraint Thomas said. It was supposed to be Kévin Vauquelin, who punctured with 7km remaining of the 19.6km course, and finished a minute back.

“It was a tough one, really, with Kévin puncturing,” Thomas told Cycling Weekly. “He was our guy to finish it off. He was the one that was going to, well, he was sitting on to sort of save the legs really for that last effort.”

Due to the new timing system, whereby riders received individual times across the line for the general classification, a stage win would have put the Frenchman in the yellow jersey.

That dream quickly fell away, but in the face of potential disaster, the team improvised, and Ganna took on the baton himself.

“Everyone stepped up and did their bit,” Thomas said. “The way the boys responded to [the puncture] and adapted to the plan was really good to see. Pippo, fair play to him, we wanted him to empty the tank by the top of the first climb and he had to finish it off [on the second].

“As I said earlier today, you have your plan and it'll never go to plan. It's how you adapt to it. It's just a shame to lose Kévin with that puncture. I feel for him, because he hasn't had much luck this year, but it's the way it is, and I think everyone did what they could in the moment.”

Netcompany-Ineos have two riders in the top 10 after stage one: Ganna in second at eight seconds, and Tobias Foss in ninth at 38.

Vauquelin, who placed seventh overall last year with Arkéa-B&B Hotels, is 26th, one minute and 14 seconds behind the leader Vingegaard.

Thomas assured the Frenchman's time loss is not a catastrophe: “[Vauquelin] was coming here to not worry about the GC and just go after the stages,” he said, adding that the team plans to treat the race like “21 one-day races”.

As a final, unexpected treat after the stage, Egan Bernal was called to the podium, where he was presented with the green jersey, as leader of the points classification. The 2019 race winner earned the honour by being the fastest to the first time check 5km into the stage.

Asked by Cycling Weekly if it was the plan to go for green, Bernal said: “No, for sure not. The objective was to ride as fast as we can for the stage.”

Like Thomas, the Colombian's take on the day struck a bittersweet tone. “I think it was good. We came second,” he said. “Of course, you always want to win, but this is cycling, we’re in the highest level in the world, and I think the others deserve the victory.”

Netcompany-Ineos will "race aggressively" over the three weeks of the Tour de France, Geraint Thomas promised, as the team announced their lineup on Wednesday.

In the absence of GC-hopeful Oscar Onley, the team is packed with stage-hunting talent, although there is the possibility of general classification success too.

The eight riders are: Thymen Arensman, Egan Bernal, Tobias Foss, Filippo Ganna, Dorian Godon, Michał Kwiatkowski, Josh Tarling and Kévin Vauquelin.

"This team has some great racers who people love to watch," Thomas, the team's director of racing, said. "They’ll have the freedom to go for it and race aggressively across the three weeks. Fortune favours the brave. We didn't come to this Tour to follow the race - we came to shape it.

"Barcelona’s team time trial presents a great opportunity to start strongly. This year we’ve performed well in this discipline so will give it everything we’ve got. From there, it’s going to be full-on and we’re ready to take on the challenge."

Arensman won two stages of the Tour de France in the mountains last year, and comes into the race off the back of finishing fourth at the Giro d'Italia. He starts alongside 2021 Tour winner Egan Bernal, who finished 10th at the Giro.

"I'm super happy and proud to get selected for the Tour this year," Arensman said. "I think riding the Giro d’Italia is actually pretty good preparation and I’ve taken some time to recover and look after the body. I have some great memories from last year’s Tour and I’m motivated to be there again and see what we can deliver.

"We have a strong team and it’s a really good group dynamic which is always really important."

Vauquelin, meanwhile, will race the Tour for Ineos for the first time after he moved from Arkéa-B&B Hotels over the winter. He won a stage in 2024, and finished seventh overall last year, the highest Frenchman. It was not clear whether he would be targeting general classi

"As a French rider, the Tour is always an incredible thing to be part of," he said. "And this is my first with Netcompany-Ineos so it’s going to be even more special. This is a strong group and I am looking forward to racing aggressively, attacking and hunting for wins together."

Tarling, meanwhile, has made a remarkable recovery to be in shape for his debut Tour, after he broke his collarbone at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes last month.

"I’m just super happy and really looking forward to it," he said. "We’ve got a power team so I’m really excited with the team that we have for the TT and stages, so we’re going to have a good Tour together."

Netcompany-Ineos rider Oscar Onley has been ruled out of the Tour de France with a "significant shoulder injury", his team has confirmed.

The 23-year-old Briton, who finished fourth at the race last year, abandoned the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes after crashing into a ravine on stage six less than two weeks ago.

At the time, Netcompany-Ineos announced Onley had dislocated his shoulder. A new medical update from the team has now revealed he will not be fit enough to start the Tour on 4 July.

"Following Oscar Onley's crash on stage six of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, further medical investigations have confirmed a significant shoulder injury," the team wrote in a statement.

"Unfortunately, this means Oscar will be unable to compete in this year’s Tour de France.

"He has already begun rehabilitation and is making encouraging progress. We wish Oscar a full and speedy recovery."

Commenting in the press release, Onley said: "I’m gutted not to be able to line up for the Tour de France this year. My focus is now on recovering and getting my shoulder in a good place, but I’m really motivated to try and make something out of this season.

"I am looking forward to watching the boys racing in France in the coming weeks, especially knowing how hard everyone has worked."

Onley made a cryptic allusion to his Tour absence in a Strava post on Wednesday, when he uploaded a 44km training ride in Andorra with the caption: "Road to the tour... of Guangxi."

The 23-year-old signed for Netcompany-Ineos in December last year, breaking his contract with his previous Picnic PostNL, with a view to leading the British squad's GC ambitions at the Tour.

At the time, Netcompany-Ineos director of racing Geraint Thomas described Onley as "mature beyond his years", adding he "complements our rider roster perfectly".

Onley's best GC results this season are fourth overall at the Volta ao Algarve, and 12th at the Volta a Catalunya. He abandoned the Tour de Romandie and Paris-Nice due to illness.

Netcompany-Ineos now face a leadership dilemma with nine days to go until the Tour opens in Barcelona.

There are doubts, too, over Kévin Vauquelin, seventh overall last year, who announced he will miss this week's French National Road Championships due to a virus. The team has not commented on Vauquelin's Tour participation.

While EF Education First-EasyPost’s Alex Baudin claimed the spoils on the opening stage of Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, a canny late move from the group of favourites featuring Netcompany-Ineos duo Oscar Onley and Kévin Vauquelin set up an intriguing tactical game for the week ahead.

As Baudin powered to a career-best result, the peloton held a solid pace on the Côte de Rousset, allowing the Frenchman to build his lead to 1:20 as he crested the climb. The docile pace continued on the final section into Saint-Ismier as the GC teams appeared keen to absolve themselves of the responsibility to hold the leaders jersey heading into the next few stages.

Attacks flew from the chase group of around 30 began with 7km of the stage to go. It was veteran Frenchman Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ United) who launched the decisive move and was followed first by Vauquelin with Jayco-AlUla’s Luke Plapp in his wheel. Six more including Onley followed and caught UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s Kevin Vermaerke, who had accelerated over the final climb.

The group of ten built a maximum lead of just over half a minute and looked set to steal a significant advantage in the overall over pre-race favourites Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM), Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek). However, Ayuso accelerated hard on a short rise in the final 3km to cut the gap drastically.

In the end Onley, Vauquelin and co took nine seconds over the favourites, setting up an interesting tactical game for the rest of the race in which the British team could look to use its numbers and aggression as an advantage over their GC rivals.

“We did manage to take a little bit of time on Seixas and Del Toro,” said Vauquelin after the stage.

“For us it was a tactical game with two riders up front. In the next stages we will see what happens.”

The Frenchman finished the stage in ninth place, one spot ahead of team-mate Onley.

“I was just behind and I was following along,” Vauquelin said how he infiltrated the move.

“We were in the end fighting for second. I didn’t do the sprint 100%. We wanted to get time and with no bonuses on the line it didn’t really matter.”

The likes of Ben Tulett (Visma-Lease a Bike), Luke Tuckwell (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Léo Bisiaux (Decathlon-CMA CGM) were also present in the move.

The Tour Auverge-Rhône-Alpes will continue from Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux on stage with several tough days to come.

Sir Dave Brailsford is back in charge of Netcompany-Ineos, after CEO John Allert left the team.

According to reporting in The Athletic, Allert left the team ahead of the Giro d'Italia, weeks after the WorldTour squad had revealed new backing from Danish IT business Netcompany. The move has not been officially announced by Netcompany-Ineos, but has been confirmed. Allert's exit has been reported to be amicable.

The Australian joined the team in 2021, and was promoted to CEO in 2023 as part of a management reshuffle which also brought Dr Scott Drawer into the team as performance director.

At the launch of Netcompany-Ineos, Sir Dave Brailsford spoke as team principal, having been back on board. His role now is thought to be team principal and director of sport for Ineos, having returned to cycling. Notably, Allert was at the event but did not speak. Brailsford is still not listed on the team's website.

In the last few years, Ineos have had their worst season ever, in 2024, when the team won just 14 times. They have bounced back from that low, winning stages at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España last year, before impressing this season, with 20 victories to date. At the Giro, Thymen Arensman finished fourth overall, his highest finish at a Grand Tour.

Brailsford returns to the team he created in 2010 as Team Sky, who went on to win seven Tours de France between 2012 and 2019. He stepped back from his team principal role to head up a bigger role at Ineos Sport, overseeing all the projects owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, including Manchester United FC.

He returns to head up an Ineos team who has Geraint Thomas as director of racing, and Drawer as performance director, among their staff.

At the announcement of Netcompany-Ineos, Brailsford said: "This is one of the most significant partnerships in cycling – a real vote of confidence not only in our team, but in the sport itself. It’s a major moment for us and marks the beginning of a new chapter."

Oscar Onley has added his name and backing to the Scottish junior team that gave him his start. Known as Spokes RT when Onley and other current Scottish professionals such as Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Callum Thornley and Modern Adventure’s Mark Stewart cut their teeth at the Dundee-based squad, the team has been renamed Spokes RT-Oscar Onley Development for the 2026 season.

Spokes RT gave Onley his first opportunity in Europe in 2019 as a first-year junior. As a rider so obviously suited to the mountains of continental Europe, Onley shone. He caught the eye of the AG2R La Mondiale (now Decathlon CMA CGM) junior team after impressing with seventh place at the prestigious Valromey Tour. Onley moved on to Team DSM’s under-23 development team in 2021, stepping up to the WorldTour two years later and finishing fourth at the 2025 Tour de France, catalysing his mid-contract transfer to Ineos Grenadiers last winter.

“He's always been very thankful for what we did for him because he's always said that without the support we gave him and taking him to Europe he would never have got those opportunities,” the team’s manager, Craig Grieve, told Cycling Weekly.

"It means a lot to me to be able to give back in a small way to the sport in Scotland," Onley added. "I had so many people help me when I was younger and allowed me to get to the level where I could compete in Europe. Craig has been a key part of many British riders over the years so it was an honour that he wanted my name associated with the team as he’s focussing on rebuilding the team again and trying to help the next crop of riders coming through.

"I try to keep an eye out for the results of some of the races they do and I’m sure I’ll by racing next to some of these guys in a few years which excites me to try and increase the number of Scottish riders in the World tour."

As well as putting his name to the team, Onley is setting time aside from his schedule as one of the world’s top General Classification riders to support youngsters on the team. The Onley name is also opening doors for the team to gain high profile race invites and sponsorships.

“The biggest thing from him that we really needed was just people to know that he was on board and that he came from our team,” Grieve says. “We don't have to have hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of budget.

Putting his name behind it has helped us. It actually helped us to get sponsors as well. He does get involved and he does help. When he's available, he'll do training camps, he'll do Zoom calls with the guys at training camps. It's just massive for the boys. For them to have his name on their jersey is just phenomenal for them. They're all so proud.”

Spokes RT was launched in 2012 at a time when there were very few opportunities for Scottish juniors to race in Europe and grew into one of the country's best junior teams. After the COVID pandemic, the team went on hiatus in 2024 due to a lack of junior riders coming through.

Grieve and Onley have stayed in touch over the years and the Ineos Grenadiers man contacted his old team manager to express his sadness when the team closed. When Grieve was planning to start things up again for this season, Onley was keen to get involved.

“We had a year-and-a-half away and then came back again for this season. We thought, what a great time to do it. We've got Oscar doing what he's doing and he's really keen.”

Finding the next Oscar Onley

Grieve played a part in identifying Onley’s potential before he hit the junior age group. He says that the rider from Kelso’s talent was obvious from his first training sessions with the team.

“He was a small kid and he was in a club that was full of big lads that were six foot tall, big units, winning all the youth races because they were just enormous for their age. He was always playing second fiddle to those boys, just doing his own thing. You could see him slowly developing in the background.”

“When it got to his last year as a youth, he really started to show that he was coming onto something. We have a selection camp every year. He came to the camp and he was the strongest rider. Head and shoulders above all the guys.”

Now, Grieve sees Onley’s achievements as something to inspire the next generation of Scottish talent. “That's where you could go. You can aspire to be the next Oscar Onley. It was just a little Scottish team that produced him,” he says.

The team has also announced that a brand new junior women’s team will be launched for 2027. The men’s team will begin their 2026 European campaign in the Netherlands in May before further trips to France and Belgium later in the year.

The handshakes between the key stakeholders at the launch of Netcompany-Ineos said it all. When the CEO of Netcompany, André Rogaczewski, team principal of what was Ineos Grenadiers, Sir Dave Brailsford, and the team's CEO, John Allert connected on stage there was a force behind the gesture. All three exuded confidence that this was the right partnership, and belief in the five year project.

Netcompany-Ineos is alive, and will be in public from the start of the Giro d'Italia next Friday. There's new funding, a new grey jersey, and a new AI-powered platform, PULSE, from the Danish IT company to play with. There's also an official return for Brailsford, publicly acknowledged as the team's principal for the first time since he rejoined last year.

As Ineos Grenadiers, the team have already won 18 times this season, making them the second-most successful behind only UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Things seem positive for the British WorldTour squad right now, and there was a buzz about their future from the team at the event in London's Kings Cross. It seems a world away from 2024 and their annus horribilis of just 14 wins all year. The rebranded squad is still unlikely to win the Tour de France in 2026, but it feels like they're progressing, not regressing or stagnating as before.

"I shouldn't be as excited as I am, but I am," Brailsford almost giggled during the launch. "This is right up my street."

"The significance of it really is the length and scale of this partnership. Elite sport really builds on stability.

"It's not just a name on a jersey and a change of colour and change of kit, we've got PULSE, which is the software platform that's behind Netcompany, and that's going to give us the opportunity of impacting our system and really allow us to take a step forward. It's a great vote of confidence in our team."

Rogaczewski added: "When you marry an IT company company with the most winning cycling team you get a big force in cycling and tech. I think we'll have a mean winning machine."

Beyond the PR, the "why?" in terms of the deal seems clear: Ineos Grenadiers wanted an injection of funding to help them return to closer to the top of the WorldTour, while Netcompany wants to show its abilities on the world stage through cycling, especially in the crucial market of the UK.

"I think we're building something unique, both in sports and in tech," Rogaczewski said, in the bit of the launch which felt more tech than cycling. "We will push the team to its limits. That goes for tech and for cycling. And I'm proud to see how technology and sports can unfold in a good way, and together, we will push Europe to become a global leader in tech and stand as an inspiration for other European companies. We will build European sovereignty for the age of AI."

The sponsorship also might give more to the sporting team than others; this isn't just a Belgian hardware company slapped on some kit. The headlines lead with AI, but it seems like PULSE, at least to start with, will be useful for data aggregation. That said, how to use AI and this data is the "Holy Grail", according to Brailsford.

He explained: "One of the things that we're very excited about with PULSE is the ability to orchestrate all that data into a single, aligned format, and not only to be able to sift out the signal from the noise... but it's really the ability to take that information and start to look at the predictive value of it, and therein lies the opportunity."

"The next frontier is understanding individual response," Brailsford continued. "If you can achieve that through AI, you will get better consistency. That’s where I see the big opportunity coming."

Humanity

Despite the focus on tech and data, and the buzzwords around AI, it's clear that it isn't everything, that there is still a need for the "human side" of cycling. That was particularly clear when talking to the team's director of racing, Geraint Thomas, who claimed to not own a laptop until half a year ago.

"It's always been science and art, and I think there's still a need for the art," he said. "Getting that clarity on all the data and stuff is one thing, but as you know, bike racing isn't just about numbers. It's about how you ride, the craft, and consistency. You get people that are super talented, but they might not have the mentality. It's not as simple as a partnership with an AI thing that means we recruit really well. It's still a whole jungle, at least the path in the jungle [is a bit clearer].

"I've been around for a while now, so I think I've seen the art, and more and more science has come into it. I think I've always been able to keep one eye on the big picture and one eye on the day-to-day. I think that's key in any sport. It's easy to get wrapped up in race to race and forget about the big picture."

As for using PULSE: "We're just at the discovery phase at the minute, like what's the potential of it and what do we need it for? It's about starting with the logistics and letting it grow and evolve."

Thomas would not be drawn on how much of a financial boost the Netcompany deal would give the team, but it is clear that there are no longer any worries about the future.

"It gives us the platform to not worry about the financial side and just focus on performance and where we're going and getting a good plan," he said. "I think that's quite rare in cycling anyway, to have that solid sort of base.

"Obviously, you need a bit of money to get the right team in place, but I think once you get to that sort of level, it's all about how you actually deliver it. This partnership as well, hopefully will really help with that."

As ever at these kinds of launches, the carrot of winning the Tour de France again was dangled. With UAE, Visma-Lease a Bike, Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe and maybe even Lidl-Trek and Decathlon CMA CGM ahead of Ineos in the pecking order, that goal does seem far off. However, with the data used in the right way, and the funding there, perhaps the team can find the next Tadej Pogačar, or even Paul Seixas. It's a long-term project, though.

"We believe we can close that gap," Thomas argued. "We want to try and win it now, that's not saying we're going to, but I think if you're always thinking 'down there we'll win it', there's no real urgency. We're all ambitious, that's the apex goal, there's a lot of things along the way.

"The narrative around the team is pretty good at the minute. It feels like an evolution of the team again. It's like 3.0, so to speak, and we're at the start of a really exciting journey now. We've got a solid foundation now, and it's all about the process going forward and targeting those big, ambitious goals."

Moving on from the past

Rogaczewski and Netcompany will be aware of cycling's controversial past, but the tech CEO said it wasn't a concern before the deal was signed.

"I really believe that we have a very professional cycling team here and [we are] trusting all the way through that we are doing our best in everything that is possible," the Dane explained. "We are investing into a very professional team and I think they will behave according to what is accepted."

He was also not forthcoming when asked about allegations that linked soigneur David Rozman to the doping doctor Mark Schmidt, who was convicted after Operation Aderlass. That has not been fully resolved, with the ITA launching an investigation.

"I can't even comment on it. I'm just interested in whether the politics and behaviour of the professional cycling team are within the boundaries of what you can expect and I'm certain they are, here in this case."

Ineos Grenadiers will be called Netcompany-Ineos Cycling Team from the Giro d'Italia onwards, it was announced in London on Tuesday. There is also new, grey and orange kit to go with the five-year partnership.

The new title sponsor is a Danish technology company, whose AI platform, PULSE, the team hopes to use in the development of a performance-optimisation model. The squad's ambition is to win the Tour de France, for an eighth time, during the five-year deal.

The news was initially reported in March, but the launch was moved forward from the initially expected pre-Tour de France spot. The team will continue to be British, and to be owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who took over the WorldTour squad from Team Sky in 2019.

French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies will also remain on board with the team, after the company signed a deal to become a 'jersey partner' last year.

Netcompany has four offices in the UK, as well as across the rest of Europe and Asia, is listed on the Nasdaq Copenhagen, and recently won a contract with Heathrow to become the airport’s primary digital operations partner.

Team principal and director of sport Sir David Brailsford said in a statement: "This is one of the most significant partnerships in cycling – a real vote of confidence not only in our team, but in the sport itself. It’s a major moment for us and marks the beginning of a new chapter.

He added: "Our sport is a human endeavour, where decisions in training, racing and recovery make the difference every day. We have no shortage of data - the real challenge is turning it into simple, practical actions and delivering them consistently.

"With Netcompany, we can do that better. PULSE allows us to orchestrate our data into clear insights that support faster, better decisions when it matters most."

Ineos boss Ratcliffe said: "I’m really pleased to welcome Netcompany to the cycling team, establishing a new long-term partnership that will help create the right conditions to deliver more success.

"This collaboration brings additional resource, technology and capability across performance and operations to give the team the ability to compete consistently at the highest level of the sport."

André Rogaczewski, the CEO and co-founder of Netcompany, added: "This partnership supports our strategic ambition to accelerate growth across Europe by demonstrating the impact of cutting-edge technology and AI at the highest level of sport.

"Together, we aim to enable smarter decision-making, strengthen competitive advantage, and help the team in winning the Tour de France again."

Following much gossip about new sponsors, Ineos Grenadiers have revealed deals with a coffee company and an insurance broking brand this week.

Alongside the partnership with WTW, there is a new connection with a name that will send a frisson of nostalgic recognition through cycling fans of a certain vintage: Café de Colombia, a brand with a rich historical association with the sport.

As many readers will remember, during the 1980s Café de Colombia was responsible for giving professional contracts to a talented generation of Columbian riders, including Luis Herrera and Fabio Parra, and became the name-sponsor of a pro road-racing team that competed in multiple grand tours.

The brand bank-rolled a golden era of Colombian cycling – Herrera took overall victory at the Vuelta a España in 1987 and during a stellar career won the mountains classification at all three grand tours, while Parra won stages at the Tour de France and Vuelta. And now it's back in the game.

While Ineos, owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and bossed by Sir Dave Brailsford, has bases in both Belgium and Manchester, the team boasts several Colombian riders in their elite stable, including Egan Bernal - who became the first ever Latin American winner of Tour de France when he took victory in 2019, and went on to win the Giro in 2021 - and Brandon Rivera.

Last month, we reported that INEOS Grenadiers were on the brink of inking a multi-million five-year sponsorship agreement with Danish firm Netcompany, and while the deal is obviously smaller, this week the team announced Café de Colombia as its official coffee partner. (Soudal Quick-Step announced a similar agreement with Costa Coffee last month.)

“We are delighted to officially welcome Café de Colombia to the team," said John Allert, Ineos Grenadiers' CEO. "Coffee is synonymous with cycling and has a unique way of bringing people together," he continued. “Our team has a strong connection to Colombia through its riders, and we are continually inspired by the huge support we receive from fans there and around the world."

Café de Colombia, the flagship brand of the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (Colombian Coffee Growers Federation) is backed by more than 560,000 coffee-growing families across 23 producing departments.

"Café de Colombia first established an iconic presence in professional cycling during the 1980s, bringing a generation of riders to the global stage," said Germán Bahamón, CEO of Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia. "This partnership marks a return to the sport – reconnecting that heritage with one of cycling's most successful teams.”

In the run-in to Trento, on what was the Queen stage of an already very challenging Tour of the Alps, GC leader Giulio Pellizzari began flexing his muscles, attacking the favourites group.

However, he was pounced on instantly, multiple times, by one rival in particular. A rival who looked not just spirited but in control too. If you didn't watch the race, you might hazard a guess at Tom Pidcock, or perhaps defending champion Michael Storer. But this was, in fact, Egan Bernal.

As the Giro d'Italia approaches, the 29-year-old Colombian – vying for best-dressed rider in the peloton with his jersey and bike national champ's combo – has been looking good at this race, and never more so than today on stage four, which was won solo by surprise winner Lennart Jasch (Tudor Pro Cycling).

Speaking after the stage, Ineos Grenadiers sports director Leonard Basso was reserved in his judgement, but said the team was "believing in the process", but had absolute faith in Bernal, as well as co-leader Thymen Arensman in its approach to the Giro d'Italia.

"We are believing in the process for the Giro d'Italia. So this [the Tour of the Alps] is part of that process and has been an important race for us in the past as a preparation. And also this year, we are building this shape for the Giro. But at the same time, we are focusing to try to make the best out of it."

Bernal recently took three weeks away from training with a knee injury, missing key races. But Basso said the team's faith in him did not waver.

"We kept the belief always with Thymen and Egan in the team," he said. "So yeah, I would say that we are more focused on our process than that of others. Of course, we know that our competitors are super strong, [Jonas] Vingegaard in particular, but yeah, we are keeping doing our stuff, and we'll try to arrive in the best shape possible in Bulgaria."

He said that having Arensman and Bernal working together in the build-up to the Giro was crucial, and the pair seem to be making the best of the five-day Tour of the Alps, lying second and third respectively at the time of writing, both a scant four seconds off race leader Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe).

Basso said the that Bernal, who won the Giro in 2021, and the team were adapting to a "different cycling", one that has perhaps changed in the time that the Colombian has been recovering.

"[We've seen a] different cycling in the last few years," he said. "It's more aggressive, the action is further from finish. And also this bonus close to the finish [the Red Bull Kilometre at the Giro] is different. It's a different sport, not completely, but in part. So we have to adapt. It's always adapting to the new era."

Basso would not be drawn on Bernal's numbers compared to those of his pre-crash days, but said in any case he was more interested in the rider's mental strengths and general approach – not something Bernal lacks, he inferred.

"From my point of view, it is the mentality. If you have the same mentality [as pre-crash] – and Egan has shown these mentalities in this race – you can push the limit. I think in this modern cycling, everything is around the marginal gains, all the small pieces and putting them all together. If you have the right mentality, you can push the limits every day in every training and race."

Bernal had shown that mentality both at training camps and in races, Basso said. At last year's Giro d'Italia he was seventh overall. This year sees a strong field, with not just Vingegaard, Pellizzari and Arensman but João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) and former winner Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe), but it would not be a major surprise to see Bernal take another step closer to the podium.

Last week saw an exciting week of racing in the men's WorldTour, with some of the best riders in the peloton split across two decent-sized early-season stage races: Tirreno-Adriatico in Italy and Paris-Nice in France.

Much of the action was gratifyingly mountainous – or at the very least, hilly – resulting in some engaging battles. There were plenty of thrills and no lack of spills – one of which put Grand Tour star Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) out of action. Some of the results were more predictable than others, and not everyone will be going home with a smile on their faces. Here's a snapshot of what cycling showed us last week.

1. UAE has a wunderkind

Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) may have experienced a certain reluctance about beating his friend Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) in the latter's home town of Camerino on Saturday's Tirreno-Adriatico stage, but the fact he did it anyway speaks volumes.

The Mexican is, not unlike his more famous Slovenian team-mate, clearly a born winner and that victory at the end of a lumpy, 188km stage dotted the i's and crossed the t's on his overall victory the following day.

Del Toro made the short journey back to his San Marino base with the GC, points and youth classifications under his belt and, at just 22 years old, is clearly destined for great things. Not that we didn't know that already, but every victory amplifies it.

2. Jonas Vingegaard is back on top

After a bumpy start to the season involving run-ins with fans, crashes and illness, it was gratifying to see Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) looking back to something like his best at Paris-Nice.

The Dane won two lumpy mid-race stages as well as all the classifications available to him – general, mountains and points. He came very close to winning the final stage in Nice too, but was pipped on the line by Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious).

Vingegaard's performance in France won't exactly have Grand Tour nemesis Tadej Pogačar quaking in his DMTs, but it won't have gone entirely unnoticed by the Slovenian either.

3. Félicitations to the French

Paris-Nice saw another branch negotiated in the slow but sure climb of French cycling back to the top of the tree – and that was without a Paul Seixas in sight.

Gallic riders from a variety of teams helped make the race throughout, filling out five of the top-12 on stage two for example and half the top-10 on Saturday's stage six. Among them, Kévin Vauquelin (Ineos Grenadiers) was the most successful on GC with fourth place, but he was followed by Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) in fifth – who also rounded out the race with a win on the final stage that saw him outsprint Jonas Vingegaard one-on-one. Also contributing to the Gallic glow of success was Vaquelin's team-mate Dorian Godon, who won a truncated stage six.

4. Ineos Grenadiers "on the way back"

The British-registered team have come in for a fair bit of flak in recent seasons, but their rides across both races last week gave them much to be confident about going into the next part of this season.

Their stage three team time trial victory at Paris-Nice will likely be among the team's biggest celebrations, as it was such a collaborative effort, and the scaffolding for Kévin Vauquelin's high GC finish. Afterwards new DS Geraint Thomas himself said: "We've had a rough couple of years but we're on the way back now," showing that the previous paucity of results and what now looks like a bit of a turnaround has not been lost on the team.

Its riders also claimed a one-two in the the Tirreno-Adriatico stage one ITT via Filippo Ganna and Thymen Arensman, while dogged prodding by Dorian Godon and Vauqelin throughout Paris-Nice ultimately resulted in a late stage win for Godon and that GC fourth for his team-mate.

5. Picnic PostNL yet to deliver

Not all teams have as much to celebrate as Ineos Grenadiers and others. Only eight of the 18 WorldTour teams registered stage or GC wins across Tirreno and Paris-Nice combined, leaving plenty going without. However, one team has still to hit the mark at all this year and would have been less than pleased to miss out – Picnic PostNL.

Neither the men's nor the women's squads of the Dutch-registered team have won so far, with the men in the unenviable position of having lost 75% of their four winners from last season with Oscar Onley and Tobias Lund Andresen having changed teams, and Nils Eeckhoff out after having an operation on his iliac artery.

The men's team has registered two podium finishes, although compared with UAE Team Emirates-XRG's 10 wins and 37 podiums, it's quite the contrast. The season is young though. No doubt Picnic PostNL will deliver the goods in due course.

Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy claimed their first win as a team on Thursday, with Cam Rogers winning the prologue at the Tour of Rhodes.

The Australian, a former junior national time trial champion, won the 2.1km-race by three seconds over Matteo Scalco (XDS Astana Development) and four seconds over Sylvester Vittinghus Stokbro (AIRTOX-Carl Ras). Ben Wiggins (Hagens Berman Jayco) was fourth.

It mean the new under-23 team tasted victory on just its fourth race day, in the 2.2-ranked UCI race. Rogers, the nephew of former TT world champion Michael Rogers, moved to Ineos from Lidl-Trek Future Racing.

The squad was announced in December, and consists of 12 riders: Hugo Boucher, Josh Charlton, Mattie Dodd, Davide Frigo, Max Hinds, Milkias Maekele, Fletcher Medway, Nicolas Milesi, Dylan Sage, Max Standen, Rogers and Theodor Storm. They're a UCI Continental outfit.

"I'm super happy with today," Cam Rogers said in an Ineos press release. "It's a day we've been working towards with the coaches and the team and to get the first win for the Racing Academy is awesome. I'm super happy to have pulled it off.

"It's very special. To be able to get the first win for the team is incredible. I've been working with Boy Sanders my coach, Dario Cioni and Simon Watts towards this. Just to be here was huge, but to pick up the win means a lot. I know how much time and effort these guys have put into our Academy and I've seen how passionate they are. It's the best feeling to be able to pay it off for them and what we're working towards."

"I'd chatted with Dario prior to the race," Rogers continued. "We knew the wind conditions and we knew it would pick up throughout the day, and tried to get my start position as early as possible. The effort was executed perfectly. We did lots of reconing yesterday and today. I didn't brake once to be honest, I was just flinging through the corners. I had to dig really deep and I left it all out there. There's no better feeling.

"Going into the race with the yellow jersey and the young rider's jersey is an awesome feeling. We'll see how the rest of the race plays out.

"There's been a lot of sickness out here in Rhodes across all teams, so it's been a real challenge to be here. I knew this result was possible and that if I could stay healthy I could do this. I've had prologue wins before so I knew that I had it in the legs if I did everything right. Along with how well Dario, Boy, Simon and the team are dialled, I think it was a guaranteed win today.

"Now we're starting our first Tour together in the leader's jersey which is awesome and it's the perfect way to start it."

The four-stage race continues with a lumpy circuit around Maritsa on the Greek island of Rhodes on Friday.

Filippo Ganna cruised to victory on stage one's time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico, taking his fourth TT victory at the race on Monday.

The Italian Ineos Grenadiers rider was the favourite at Lido di Camaiore, and proved worth his status.

Ganna’s teammate and GC option, Thymen Arensman finished 22 seconds after, himself separated by just four seconds from Max Walscheid (Lidl-Trek).

But it was the race favourite, Ganna who took first place in a show of unparalleled strength, effortlessly overtaking his minute man Alessandro Covi (Jayco AlUla) during an 11.5km time trial that he completed at an average speed of 56.2 km/h.

The race looked to be won as soon as the Italian passed the intermediate split with the fastest time, smashing his teammates benchmark, arriving to the finish line to the sound of fans beating their hands on the fences.

"I'm very happy," Ganna said. "I don't want to push the legs too much when my big goals of this part of the year [the Classics] are still in a few weeks time.

"At the moment, I'm really happy, the shape is good," he continued. "My feelings weren't the best, but Thymen and Magnus did amazingly well, too. It was great for the team."

The time trial was relatively untechnical, featuring two straight sectors linked by a U-turn at Marina di Pietrasanta. The flat-out track was interrupted by an S-bend in the final kilometre.

British national champion, Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step), finished in eighth, 32 seconds off Ganna’s time.

Among the other GC contenders making up the top ten were Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe), who took seventh place, while Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) laid down a more relaxed run in preparation for the upcoming road stages.

As the first-stage winner, Ganna will wear the first blue jersey of the 2026 edition. The race awaiting him tomorrow is, for just over half of its 260 kilometre course, totally flat. But once the climb to Castelnuovo Val di Cecina begins, the course remains hilly until its 5.3km gravel conclusion.

Of the challenge awaiting him, Ganna said: "For sure, I don't want to lose the leader's jersey, I'll fight for it and maybe try to win another stage. But it's not easy, so I'll support the team as well and see what I can do."

Results

Tirreno-Adriatico, Stage 1: Lido di Camaiore  >  Lido di Camaiore, 11.5km

1. Filippo Ganna (Ita), Ineos Grenadiers, in 12:08
2. Thymen Arensman (Ned), Ineos Grenadiers, +22s
3. Max Walscheid (Ger), Lidl-Trek, +26s
4. Magnus Sheffield (USA), Ineos Grenadiers, +26s
5. Jonathan Milan (Ita), Lidl-Trek, +29s
6. Alan Hatherly (RSA), Jayco AlUla, +30s
7. Primož Roglič (Slo), Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, +31s
8. Ethan Hayter (GBr), Soudal Quick-Step, +32s
9. Antonio Tiberi (Ita), Bahrain Victorious, +33s
10. Isaac del Toro (Ita), UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +36s

General classification after stage 1

1. Filippo Ganna (Ita), Ineos Grenadiers, in 12:08
2. Thymen Arensman (Ned), Ineos Grenadiers, +22s
3. Max Walscheid (Ger), Lidl-Trek, +26s
4. Magnus Sheffield (USA), Ineos Grenadiers, +26s
5. Jonathan Milan (Ita), Lidl-Trek, +29s
6. Alan Hatherly (RSA), Jayco AlUla, +30s
7. Primož Roglič (Slo), Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, +31s
8. Ethan Hayter (GBr), Soudal Quick-Step, +32s
9. Antonio Tiberi (Ita), Bahrain Victorious, +33s
10. Isaac del Toro (Ita), UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +36s

Ineos Grenadiers have secured a new title sponsorship worth €20 million a year, it has been reported.

According to Cyclingnews and Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, a five-year deal has been agreed between the British team and a Danish software and IT services company, worth €100 million. Days later, the firm was revealed to be Netcompany by the The Times and The Guardian.

It would mean new branding and new kit for the team, which would cease to be Ineos Grenadiers, after the SUV built by the company. However, it would continue to be owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and run by Sir Dave Brailsford, according to the reporting. Ineos have not yet commented on the news, with a launch expected before this year's Tour de France.

Brailsford apparently believes that the team needs a budget of close to €50 million in order to compete with other well-funded squads like UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Visma-Lease a Bike.

French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies will also remain on board with the team, after the company signed a deal to become a 'jersey partner' last year. Apparently, with the ending of its deal with French ProTeam TotalEnergies this year, it is hoped that the French company will extend its deal with Ineos, perhaps as a co-title sponsor along with the new Danish IT brand.

Netcompany have four offices in the UK, as well as across the rest of Europe and Asia, is listed on the Nasdaq Copenhagen, and has recently won a contract with Heathrow to become the airport’s primary digital operations partner.

Ineos and Ratcliffe came on board with the WorldTour squad in 2019, after buying what was then Team Sky. The team was set-up in 2010, and remain the only British outfit on the WorldTour. The team has won the Tour on seven occasions, but not since 2019, after they were eclipsed by other teams, particularly UAE and Visma. This year, they have already won seven races through six different riders.

Last year, Ineos Grenadiers stepped up their search for a new sponsor, employing a global sports marketing agency to search for partners.

Sportfive acted as Ineos' "Exclusive Sales Agency", in an attempt to find "non-endemic global partners" for the team.

For those not versed in advertising speak, non-endemic means promoting something on behalf of another brand, like most cycling sponsors.

Ineos are not alone in looking for new sponsorship, with Visma-Lease a Bike and EF Education-EasyPost going public this year about their hunt for fresh investment.

It was also reported at the weekend that FDJ United-SUEZ, the leading women's team, are set to be partnered by Red Bull.

This weekend signified the end of the first round of early-season stage races, with Opening Weekend and the Classics arriving in just a few day's time. Last week we saw the UAE Tour, the Volta ao Algarve and the Vuelta a Andalucía/Ruta del Sol, featuring a variety of the protagonists we're expecting to see in this summer's men's Grand Tours.

It's too early to use these February races as a barometer for July or even May, but they're a handy indicator as to who's wintered well and who has a little further to go, and more. We take a look.

Isaac Del Toro 2-1 Remco Evenpoel

Perhaps the most impressive overall performance of the past week has come from young Mexican Isaac del Toro. The UAE Tour was the first race of the season for the 20-year-old UAE Team Emirates-XRG, and one which he began in the shadow of Belgian star Remco Evenepoel.

All eyes were on the Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe rider, as one of the few big stars to openly declare Tadej Pogačar-beating intentions.

The first two stages saw the pair take one apiece, but on the stage three summit finish to Jebel Mobrah, Evenepoel began to fade, losing two minutes and his GC lead to winner Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) and declaring afterwards: "I don't know what happened." Del Toro, however stayed strong and close to the race lead.

After two days of GC stalemate the Mexican added another stage and took the GC lead at Jebel Hafeet summit finish, while Evenepoel continued to languish among the also-rans, ultimately finishing 10th on GC.

The final report: a 'could do better' for Evenepoel; a gold star for Del Toro.

Tom Pidcock opens his account

With a win in the final stage of the Vuelta a Andalucía, Tom Pidcock's tally for the year is off and running.

After a particularly successful round of results in last season's early stage races, the 26-year-old will be relieved to have been able to notch up a result here again.

“I think it’s great to get the pressure off and get the hands in the air early in the season in the first block of races," he said afterwards. "That’s definitely what we were working towards.”

It doesn't quite live up to last year's four wins in early stage races, but that's not the point. While he was second in Strade Bianche last year, Pidcock went the whole season without a WorldTour win while he settled into his new Q36.5 team, and he will be looking to correct that this year.

Juan Ayuso breaks the ice

Over at the Volta ao Algarve, Juan Ayuso was opening his account too, which will have gone down well with his new Lidl-Trek, who prised him from UAE Team Emirates-XRG last year mid-contract. Like Pidcock, Ayuso won the final stage, but the Spaniard enjoyed the added bonus of that victory also netting him the overall.

Like most of his rivals at the Volta al Algarve, who included old team-mate Joāo Almeida, Oscar Onley (Ineos Grenadiers) and Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM), Ayuso is focused on the summer Grand Tours (the Tour de France in the Spaniard's case). But this first ever win at Lidl-Trek is a great icebreaker and will alleviate some of the pressure going forward to the bigger race.

Away from the politics, Ineos Grenadiers looking positive

Politics and rash outbursts by their owner Jim Ratcliffe aside, Ineos Grenadiers are enjoying a start to the season that belongs right up there with some of their best years.

A time trial victory by an impressive-looking Filippo Ganna at the Volta ao Algarve brought the team's win tally to seven so far this year, all taken by a healthy variety of riders, including 20-year-old AJ August at the Vuelta Valenciana and new Aussie signing Sam Welsford in the Tour Down Under.

Add to that new signing Oscar Onley's second-place right behind Ayuso on the final stage at Algarve, and you have a team that is looking in great shape for the months to come – and potentially able once again to challenge for the podium at the Tour de France.

Paul Seixas seizes the day

The name Paul Seixas will be familiar to many already, despite his mere 19 years and the fact that until last week he was yet to win a professional race. As the winner of last year's Tour de l'Avenir though, the Decathlon CMA CGM rider already had plenty to show off.

His win on the cat-one climb to Foia at the Volta ao Algarve though, where he outsprinted Ayuso no less, was a watershed career moment for the Frenchman though, and he went on to finish an impressive second on the GC and take the youth classification. It was, said Seixas, "an almost perfect start to the season". These are results that bode well for Seixas's upcoming assault on hilly Classics, including Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Oscar Onley concluded his debut outing with Ineos Grenadiers at the Volta ao Algarve by coming within centimetres of victory on the fifth and final stage last Sunday.

While Spanish star Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) pipped him in the sprint on the 2.5km, sharp finishing climb of the Malhão to seal overall victory, the 23-year-old finished fourth overall after an aggressive showing from his team, 1:22 behind the winner. Teammate Kévin Vauquelin spent most of the finale in a breakaway, forcing rivals to chase.

“Overall I’m really happy with the day and the team,” Onley told reporters after finishing second, sweat dripping onto his handlebars. “It was a really good move. That’s exactly why I wanted to join this team, to play like that in this kind of race. Maybe we don’t have the strongest guy outright but together, with our strengths, we can make things happen.”

Onley had finished fourth on last Thursday’s stage two finishing on Alto da Fóia, the race’s most challenging test. He was held up behind an uphill crash from UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Brandon McNulty which meant he had to ride hard to close the gap to attackers Ayuso, stage winner Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) and João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).

“It’s nice to be up there again at the start of the season,” the Briton reflected to CW mid-race. “I know that I’m not in my best shape, there are definitely areas I still need to work on and improve at, the real top-end stuff. I’ve taken the winter a bit steadier, my goals aren’t in February.”

His performance in the race’s 19km time-trial on stage three put Onley on the back foot. He lost over a minute to teammate and stage winner Filippo Ganna and ceded valuable time to the race’s eventual top three Ayuso, Seixas and Almeida.

The fruits of the Briton’s initial labours to improve against the clock are yet to be reaped. “I was in the wind tunnel last week so I’ve not had much time to ride in the new position, but it was all right,” Onley reflected. “Where I can improve now is [finding] where I can increase the power.”

There are plenty of other potential gains to be made at his new team Ineos Grenadiers as he targets the Tour de France. Racing for his former squad Picnic PostNL in 2025, Onley says that he had aimed to go into every race in top shape, which meant he “really struggled” after the Tour.

“Maybe I can increase one or two per cent just going in a little bit fresher and really focusing on July,” he says. “That’s one of the things [I can improve]. And just learning from everyone in the team here. There is a lot of experience. Me and Kévin [Vauquelin] were talking just now, saying we’re all kind of at a similar level. I think it’s really going to push us and bring the level of all of us up. We all get on really well, we’ve got different [racing] characteristics but that also means that we can play off each other a bit.”

Having Vauquelin and Thymen Arensman alongside him in the top ten on GC in southern Portugal put Onley in the novel position of not being the sole leader.

“[In the past] You don’t want to take risks because if it goes wrong, the team comes away with nothing … we can gamble a little bit more and that’s quite an exciting position to be in for the whole season.” With seven wins as we went to press, Ineos Grenadiers are enjoying one of the strongest starts to the season in the team’s history.

After finishing in the same position as he did at his break-through 2025 Tour de France, Oscar Onley will hope he can go fourth and prosper. “There’s definitely some room for improvement. I normally get better by doing a few races, and hopefully I can improve for Paris-Nice [which starts next Sunday]. It’s going well,” Onley said.

Compatriot Tom Gloag (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) also continued his strong early-season, placing fifth on the race’s final stage on the way to 11th overall.

'There's a thousand faces all shining bright – and those golden faces are under 25', sang Paul Weller in The Jam classic 'In the City'. The song's sentiment was that young people have something to contribute, and they deserve to be seen and heard.

This appears to be manifesting itself in bike racing right now, because while all eyes remain glued to champions like Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, who not long ago at all were the young generation themselves (and still are hardly old), a new batch is emerging. And, even in the face of cycling's biggest talents, they are refusing to go quietly.

Oscar Onley, Isaac Del Toro, and Matthew Riccitello are all aged 22 or 23 and all notched up high placings in last year's Grand Tours, and wins elsewhere. Now there is another name we're going to be conjuring in cycling's grand theatres: Paul Seixas.

A mere grasshopper even in comparison to his young peers above at 19, the French Decathlon CMA CGM rider this week netted his first professional victory, following a 2025 replete with close-run-things and a win at the prestigious U23 Nations Cup stage race, the Tour de l'Avenir.

His win atop the climb to Foia in the Volta ao Algarve was especially interesting, given that he outgunned two of stage racing's biggest established names: Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) and Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates). Ayuso he outsprinted on the line; Almeida was a second back. But three and five seconds behind this trio, living up to their billing as ones to be closely watched, were none other than Onley and Seixas's team-mate Riccitello. Del Toro, meanwhile, has also been doing his thing this week at the WorldTour-ranked UAE Tour, winning a lumpy first stage and placing second on the stage three summit finish behind Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious).

Underlining his all-round ability, the day after his victory Seixas placed fourth in a flat time trial stage at the Volta ao Algarve, bested by the winner – TT supremo Filippo Ganna of Ineos Grenadiers – to the tune of just 12 seconds, and with Ayuso and U23 world TT champ Jacob Soderqvist nestled in-between just seconds apart. A rider this good on the climbs and in the time trials this young demands attention.

Onley, newly signed to Ineos Grenadiers, has made no secret of his Tour de France aims. Del Toro is also down to ride the French race, while Riccitello's programme says he will be at the Vuelta a España and Seixas is currently keeping his Grand Tour options open.

But we won't have to wait till the summer for this troupe of youthful cycling wizards to show their magic in the big races: Seixas is due to ride Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, while Del Toro will also be at Strade, plus Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo. Onley rides Paris-Nice and Riccitello the Volta Cataluyna, both WorldTour races.

The stage is set for a new new generation. As Weller's lyrics continued, in a parting shot that could be directed at the established stars: "They're gonna tell you about the young idea… you better listen now you've said your bit."

Oscar Onley will make his Ineos Grenadiers debut at the Volta ao Algarve next week.

The 23-year-old Scot joined the British WorldTour squad this year from Picnic PostNL, with whom he turned pro in 2023.

Onley announced he was leaving his former team two days before Christmas, saying “the opportunity to represent the team of my home country was one I could not refuse”.

He will be one of two Ineos Grenadiers debutants at the Volta ao Algarve; Kévin Vauquelin, the Tour de France stage winner who joined from Arkéa-B&B Hotels, will also open his season at the race.

The Volta ao Algarve will take place from 18-22 February, starting in Vila Real de Santo António and ending in Malhão.

Onley was the subject of fierce transfer speculation after he finished fourth at the Tour de France last summer – a result that matched the best-ever finish by a Scottish rider, achieved by Pippa York, in 1984.

The 23-year-old was understood to have a contract with Picnic PostNL until 2027; however, after a “very late late but appealing offer” came in from Ineos Grenadiers for the rider, his contract was broken.

In a statement released by Ineos Grenadiers at the time, the team’s director of racing Geraint Thomas said Onley “complements our rider roster perfectly”.

“Oscar’s performance in 2025 has been incredible really. I rode my first Tour when I was 21, so to see what he achieved at this year’s Tour at just 22 was really impressive,” Thomas said. “The way he rides and understands a race is mature beyond his years – he’s a proper racer. I can’t wait to work with him – at his age there’s still loads of headroom.”

Thomas suggested in an episode of his podcast, Watts Occurring, last month that Onley will go on to compete at Paris-Nice and the Tour Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes, the latter formerly known as the Critérium du Dauphiné.

From there, the 23-year-old is expected to lead Ineos Grenadiers at the Tour de France, which starts in Barcelona, Spain on 4 July.

The Volta ao Algarve revealed its “star-studded” start list this week, which also counts João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek), Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck).

Although the full start list is yet out, Filippo Ganna and Thymen Arensman are confirmed to join Onley and Vauquelin in the seven-rider Ineos Grenadiers squad.

The owner of Ineos Grenadiers, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has apologised for his "choice of language" after he claimed that "the UK is being colonised by immigrants".

The billionaire, founder of the Ineos petrochemicals group, made the comments in an interview with Sky News, released on Wednesday evening. After criticism, including from the British prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, he apologised for offending people, but did not retract his comments.

"You can’t afford… you can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in," he said initially. "The UK is being colonised by immigrants, really, isn’t it?

"I mean, the population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it’s 70 million. That’s 12 million people."

The UK's Office for National Statistics estimates that the population of the UK was 67 million in 2020 and 70 million in 2024. The last time the UK's population was close to 58 million was 2000.

Ineos Grenadiers, officially registered in the UK, count 15 nationalities among their 29 riders. The team was bought by Ratcliffe and his Ineos group in 2019 from Team Sky, although a 'multimillion' deal with French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies last year brought new investment onboard.

On Thursday, Ratcliffe issued the following statement: "I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern but it is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth...

"My intention was to stress that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills, industry and jobs so that long-term prosperity is shared by everyone. It is critical that we maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK."

Ratcliffe has other investments across sport, including part-owning Manchester United FC. He shifted his tax residency to Monaco in 2020, and previously backed Brexit and argued against green policies.

The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said the comments were "inaccurate, insulting, inflammatory and should be withdrawn".

Last month, Ineos the chemical company was granted £120m of British government funding to help secure the future of a plant in Scotland.

"I've been very unpopular at Manchester United because we've made lots of changes," Ratcliffe said in the interview. "But for the better, in my view. And I think we're beginning to see some evidence in the football club that that's beginning to pay off.

"But you've got all the same issues with the country. If you really want to deal with the major issues of immigration, with people opting to take benefits rather than working for a living, if you want to deal with that, then you're going to have to do some things which are unpopular, and show some courage."

At Manchester United, Ratcliffe has made hundreds of staff redundant in his two years having part control of the football club.

Starmer called the comments "offensive and wrong".

"Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country," he said. "Jim Ratcliffe should apologise.

The launch of Ineos Grenadiers' kit for 2026 in December created shockwaves through cycling, with the British team opting for white, well technically, 'light grey' shorts.

While it has a few fans, there were some labelling it the "worst kit ever", and pointing out issues with light-coloured shorts in the inclement weather of Europe in the early season. All the press shots were completed in the light grey, suggesting it would be what the team wore all the time.

I wrote at the time: "Light shorts might be great in the boiling heat and dry roads of the Vuelta a España in August, but the team will have to wear them on the muddy cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, the dusty gravel of Strade Bianche, and the inevitable rain of the Giro d'Italia."

However, the start of the season has seen a mixed approach from the British WorldTour squad with their kit. While the jersey remains the same, a split orange and white design, the shorts have sometimes been light grey, sometimes black.

At the Tour Down Under and the following Australian races, Sam Watson won the stage one prologue wearing black shorts, before heading to the podium in light grey. On the following stages, the team stuck with the lighter shorts, including Sam Welsford when he won a stage at the TDU and then Cadel's Criterium.

As the peloton returned to Europe, all eyes were on the Volta Comunitat Valenciana on Wednesday to see what Ineos' riders would choose in their first race here of the season.

The answer was black, which is what the riders are wearing on stage one. Therefore, has common sense prevailed, and is the return to black permanent?

Cycling Weekly reached out to the team for comment. A spokesperson told us: "It’ll change as determined by our performance team. For the European spring we’ll be in black, otherwise we’ll be in grey."

Mystery solved. There's likely to be no light grey shorts at the Classics, then, no unfortunate mud streaks at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad or Roubaix, but the controversial clothing seems like it will be back when the sun is out permanently. It will be interesting to see whether that includes the Giro in May, which is often pretty wet.

The comment from the team say the decision is performance related, so this might be the latest marginal gain. On those blazing hot days at the Tour de France, perhaps being in grey rather than black will help the team to win. Or maybe this is all just because it would be mad to wear grey in February. Time will tell.

Ineos Grenadiers have partnered with Swansea University to help create new ways of identifying cycling talent, it was announced this week.

The British WorldTour team will work with the Welsh university's Applied Sport, Technology, Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre to "develop cutting-edge data and AI solutions that could revolutionise how emerging talent is identified in professional cycling", according to the press release.

A joint project has begun, called Towards the development of digital twins for efficient talent identification in professional cycling. This mean there will be a dedicated PhD student working with Ineos to explore how "data-informed systems can help teams identify emerging and currently overlooked talent earlier and more effectively".

The project aims to combine the team's internal performance metrics with public race data to monitor junior riders; an automated system will be created which flag performances, and allow the squad to keep track of developing talent.

If it works, Ineos will hope to catch the next generational talent at a younger age and sign them, rather than seem them go to a rival team or not make it to the WorldTour at all.

Ineos Grenadiers' performance director, Dr Scott Drawer, said: "The emerging fields of data science and AI are the next frontier for the sport. These projects form part of a large portfolio of work with academia and industry to accelerate our understanding and application to our sport.

"My personal experience of working with Swansea has always been positive and delivered direct impact to the way we work."

Liam Kilduff, professor of Performance Science, head of the A-STEM Research Centre, and co-chair of the Welsh Institute of Performance Science, added: "At Swansea University, we take pride in building strong partnerships with industry leaders, ensuring mutual benefit for all parties.

"Some collaborations have lasted over 23 years, resulting in major impacts in elite and professional sports. We’re excited to be working with INEOS Grenadiers and look forward to collaborating with Scott and his team on this innovative project."

The university also works with other sports organisations and teams including Swansea City in football, and Scarlets and Ospreys in rugby union.

The partnership with Swansea University is just the latest development from Ineos in recent months. Last month, they announced they would be teaming up with British junior team camsmajaco creating a "new talent pathway". This followed the announcement of Ineos' first under-23 squad, the Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy. Camsmajaco joined American outfit Hot Tubes Development Cycling in Ineos' talent programme.

The white or 'light grey' shorts of Ineos Grenadiers drew a mixed reaction when launched last month, but they have already delivered a rider to a win. Confidence is needed to wear them, something the team seem to have back at the moment.

It took two bunch sprints for Sam Welsford to open his account for his new team, and means that the British team now have two wins in four WorldTour opportunities in 2026. If they keep this momentum up, it would mean a doubling of their record from last year, a quadruple of their nadir in 2024.

It was not simple for Welsford or his Ineos Grenadiers colleagues on stage three, who were forced to fight to the front in the closing kilometres; in effect, the 30-year-old had to sprint twice, once to get in position, and then again for the win.

"At 2km to go, I was on Kwia [Michał Kwiatkowski] and Swifty [Ben Swift], and we were like 80th wheel. I was thinking, 'There's no chance'," Welsford said post-stage, Cyclingnews reported.

"But Kwia was just so, so calm and so experienced. He said, 'No, we'll be fine. We'll get there.' And then in my head, I was, like, 'How? How are we going to get there from here?'

"There was so much traffic in front of us, but he just has so much experience, and also Swifty in the end there, these guys just were amazing. They knew that it was going to be into a headwind sprint, so the pace would come off the front, and that's how we made our move."

It was his first WorldTour win since stage six of last year's race. Ineos Grenadiers will hope to get more return on their investment throughout the season, but one win already looks like validation for the strategy of signing a solid sprinter, something the team have not always had in recent years.

"I think it just shows the, you know, the level of support you have in this team, and the level of support that these riders give everyone. It doesn't matter whoever puts their hand up, we back them 110%, and even when you don't believe you can probably win from there, they believe," Welsford said.

"To have those guys in your corner just means everything, and for me, if I look up and see Kwiatkowski and Swift, you know these guys have copious amounts of experience. To have a world champ in front of you, all you have to do is just turn the brain off and just follow them as much as you can."

The victory, Welsford's seventh at the Tour Down Under in the past three years, meant a lot.

"For me, this is one of my most special ones," he said. "Coming off a really hard, hard year last year with injuries and broken bones, I lost a lot of self-belief.

"And also with the team last year, we didn't get a really nice last bit of the season with injuries and stuff as well. I lost a lot of opportunities as a sprinter. As a sprinter, you need that belief, you need that momentum, and I kind of lost my way a lot of last year.

"So for me to come here and win on a day that did probably didn't really suit me on paper – still a sprint, but the hardest sprint day – I'm really happy with that."

Ineos Grenadiers, with two wins in four days, first with Sam Watson and with Welsford now – the two Sams – look in a much more settled position than they have over the past few seasons. They might not be a super-team of UAE Team Emirates-XRG's level anymore, but they are winning – it's a good start.

The way Mattie Dodd talks about getting a spot on the first year of Ineos Grenadiers' new development team, it all sounds like it was inevitable. Learning to ride a bike, going to Herne Hill, joining Austrian team Tirol KTM, then Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy. Simple.

"I learned to ride a bike, and sort of just loved it ever since," he tells Cycling Weekly. "I always really loved riding. The obvious place to go from there was Herne Hill. My parents saw the holiday club, and thought that was brilliant, 10 quid and we get to send them off all day, it was good for all parties. I just sort of went from there.

"Much to my parents’ annoyance, maybe it came above school at times, but as I went through Herne Hill, every year it got more and more serious. I feel like I’ve just followed the natural progression of someone who wants to get to where I am now. I don’t need to tell you how many people have come through there."

Of course, Herne Hill has been quite the conveyor belt of talent in the last decade, from Fred Wright to Flora Perkins, via Ethan Hayter and Ben Tulett, but it is still an impressive rise for Dodd.

The 21-year-old joined Tirol in 2023, and spent three years racing across Europe for the Austrian team; among his eye-catching results are 2nd at the Gran Premio Sportivi di Poggiana last August, and two top-10s on GC at the West Bohemia Tour and the Turul Romaniei, also in 2025.

"I sent out CVs, power numbers etc, and saw who was interested," Dodd says of his start in cycling. "Tirol were very interested, and also said I could finish school. That was a decent draw, because they were very accommodating with that. Teams like this, they slowly become your second family. You spend so much time with them, you go through shit together.

"My German then was non-existent, my German now is less non-existent."

It was his results at the end of 2025 which must have caught Ineos' eye, but his year wasn't simple.

"I started quite late because I had Epstein-Barr for the second half of 2024, I basically didn’t train properly for 10 months," Dodd says. "My first 20-hour week was in March or something. It took me a while to get going. I sort of felt like I was getting better every week, and then I got on a bit of a roll in August through to mid-October. That's where my best results came, I guess."

The team was only announced mid-December, with 12 riders getting the nod, with Dodd one of the lucky dozen. "It all happened quite late. I’d sort of verbally agreed to stay at the same team but then it changed. I grabbed it with both hands, because why wouldn’t you."

"I think I’m the only guy on the team without an agent, so I’m basically being my own agent," he continues. "It’s a case of finding the right email, banging your head on the door and trying to give them no excuse to say no. All my results came quite late in the year for various reasons, so that made things a bit tight time wise, but it came through eventually."

His future as a rider is still yet to be decided, at 21, but a WorldTour development team seems like the best place to finesse that, with the help of the Rayner Foundation.

"I could probably fit anywhere along the spectrum of leadout rider all the way to mid-mountain support type of thing," Dodd explains. "I’d say most obviously I’m like a breakaway-style Classics rider, like Quinn Simmons, Harry Sweeny. I guess that would be the best way to describe me."

As for what the team is like, it's all brand new: "I knew of people before, but I’d never spent extended periods of time with any of them. But yeah, I think quite quickly, we’re all getting on quite well. Over half is Anglophone, and everyone speaks good English, I think the group gels quite well together."

Dodd has got to where he thinks he should be, but that is not the end of the journey. Asked what he would like 2026 to hold, he replies: "I’d love to give an inventive answer, but I guess the plan is to just turn WorldTour, or take a step towards it certainly. That would be the eventual goal, and it’s a good place to do that from."

Sam Watson won the first WorldTour race of 2026, taking victory for Ineos Grenadiers in the Tour Down Under prologue.

British national champion on the road, the 24-year-old swapped the red, white and blue bands for his team's new orange jersey on Tuesday, but then swapped it again for the ochre leader's jersey at the end of the stage.

The 3.6km-long course was suited for a rider like Watson, who won the prologue at the Tour de Romandie last year and came second in the same discipline at the Lidl Deutschland Tour. Monday was his second WorldTour win, completed at 50.448km/h.

He was the 11th rider off in the Adelaide evening, and set a time that would not be beaten for the two hours that he spent in the hot seat; the closest challenger was Ethan Vernon (NSN Cycling), who finished minutes after Watson, but only 0.59 of a second down.

Third was Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe), two seconds behind Watson, with home favourite Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) in third.

"There were quite a lot of guys [to watch for]," Watson said post-race. "Just as I climbed off the bike, Ethan Vernon came across the line. He was 0.5 behind me. I knew he’d be a contender, and maybe I wouldn’t have even made it to the hot seat.

"Obviously then it was a big sigh of relief for myself," he said of when Vine finished last, clearly behind himself. "I’m so happy to start the season with a win.

"I’m not complaining [of changing jersey], I’m leading the race now. It’s great for myself and the team to start the season like this."

Ineos Grenadiers will attempt to make it two from two WorldTour races on Tuesday, with a bunch sprint finish in Tanunda on the menu. The British team will target the win with their new Australian sprinter Sam Welsford, who has won the points competition in the last two editions.

"We go 100% for him," Watson explained. "He’s won here six times in the last two years, so it’s all for him.

"[I'm the] last or second-last leadout guy. It depends how it is on the day, we’ve got Swifty [Ben Swift] too, who has a lot of experience. Whatever Sam prefers, but I’ll be up there towards the end."

Ineos Grenadiers waited until February for their first win of 2025, Egan Bernal's victory in the TT at the Colombian National Championships. This season, things have got off to a flier early.

Oscar Onley, Britain’s new GC darling, recently revealed that he no longer has a bike at his family home in Scotland. Whenever he’s back in Kelso, the town where the 23-year-old grew up, he’s there to “really, really relax” and to take a break from cycling. But that doesn’t mean he can get away with not paying subs at his local club. If he bumps into anyone from Kelso Wheelers, he’d better make sure he’s got his excuses ready – or a few bank notes in his wallet.

“Oscar’s mum Sharon is our club secretary, and she usually pays his club membership," Kelso Wheelers chairman Robert Ure tells CW. “I’d need to have a look, but I don’t think he’s paid his membership for this year. I’m going to have to send him an arrears letter unless he pays his 20 quid,” Ure laughs, joking that the outstanding debt could follow Onley around long after he’s hung up his professional racing wheels.

“If he comes down once he’s finished and retired and still hasn’t paid his membership, there’ll be serious words with him! We will have to backdate the payments.”

All of which is said in the best possible spirit, of course. Regardless of Onley’s technical membership status, his childhood cycling club – and the whole of the Scottish Borders – are immensely proud of him. This year, in just his second appearance at the Tour de France, he finished fourth, 72 seconds shy of a spot on the podium.

Onley signs for Ineos Grenadiers after being made an offer neither he nor Picnic Post could refuse.

As a result, Onley was one of the most in-demand riders in July, winning a legion of new supporters after keeping pace for long stretches with runaway leader Tadej Pogačar and his arch rival Jonas Vingegaard. ‘Onley Fans’ – a brilliant pun on the adults-only website OnlyFans – became a favoured placard slogan during the Tour, while as a hashtag #OnleyFans it went viral on Instagram, TikTok and X.

But attention and the spotlight don’t come naturally to Onley – though affable and polite, he is reserved and softly spoken. A bit like Vingegaard, he appears to be something of a reluctant superstar.

Adjusting to stardom

Onley’s finishing only a minute off the podium of the biggest race of all might not have been predicted, but it wasn’t entirely surprising. Ever since he turned pro with what was then Team DSM, the Scot has promised big things. In fact, he first signposted his enormous talent when he was still technically riding for DSM’s development team, finishing just behind reigning Tour de France winner Vingegaard at the 2022 CRO Race.

Over the following two years, he took his first WorldTour victory, a stage at the 2024 Tour Down Under, was an active presence in breakaways during his maiden Tour, and finished second at both the Tours of Britain and Guangxi.

2025 saw an even steeper progression. Second on the queen stages of both the Tour Down Under and UAE Tour in the early part of the year, and in June he won a stage of the Tour de Suisse, finishing third on GC. Come the Tour de France, publicly Onley and his team said he was targeting stages, but consistently high placings during the first week’s Classic-like stages were followed up by impressive performances in the Pyrenees and Alps. He was a very deserving fourth-placed finisher.

Only last winter, Onley told CW that Picnic-PostNL were working on the assumption that their leading GC prospect, at least in Grand Tours, was Max Poole. “He’s got the one up on me on the longer climbs and in time trialling,” said Onley, “[which] means Grand Tours suit Max better, and that’s how the team have been seeing it as well.”

Poole might still prove that assertion correct, given time, but Onley’s performance in July disproved any doubts about his own capabilities. Back then, he had seemed unsure about converting his improving results into Grand Tour success. “That’s another step, and to be honest I don’t know if I am capable of it yet.” His legs soon replied: yes, he was, and is.

Onley acknowledges that he is naturally self-deprecating – unlike the sport’s extroverts such as, say, Pogačar. Could it be a particularly Scottish trait, this keeping his head down and quietly working hard?

“I would say the main characteristics of people from where I’m from are that we’re willing to work hard,” he told Rouleur post-Tour. “Some people want things, they’re demanding, [but] I’m happy to go with whatever is happening. I think that’s natural coming from where I come from, we’re not big show people or anything. We’re down-to-earth people.”

Emily Brammeier, the head of communications at Picnic-PostNL, confirms that the team saw a leap in media requests for Onley post-Tour. He hasn’t minded the attention – it would be wrong to depict him as media-averse or painfully shy; he is not. The team has been careful to limit his media obligations to a comfortable level.

Everyone who knows Onley seems to repeat similar sentiments: he is simply a young, decent, hard-working lad from the Borders – certainly not someone who craves the limelight.

“We tried to manage the story before and during the Tour so as not to put him on too much of a pedestal,” Brammeier says. “Since the Tour it’s also been important to give him a break and to wind down from it all. It’s always a balance: a rider only has so much energy per day, and the priority is riding a bike.

“They also need to find time for tactical discussions, time to call home and to be themselves, and time for the media and commercial activities. A lot of what we do is based on feeling, and working with riders to make sure they get the best out of themselves.”

Local hero

Ever-present at the roadside during the Tour were Onley’s mum and dad, Sharon and Steve. Back home in the Borders, the entire region was claiming him – the quiet young cycling lad was front and centre of many people’s minds.

“The whole town and Borders were rooting for him,” Ure confirms. “He rode in the Border Trophy for Kelso, so everyone knows Oscar, and everyone feels proud of him, because we’ve all ridden with him.” His stepping away to the big league matters not.

“Alright, he probably wouldn’t ride with us on a Sunday right now, for his own sanity, but we all feel a connection with him,” Ure continues. “One club member is forever updating our Facebook page with what Oscar’s doing – and seems to know what he’s up to before his parents!”

The unpaid subs are more than compensated for by the avalanche of positive publicity. “It’s just fantastic what he’s doing, and fantastic publicity for the club,” Ure says. “Let’s be honest, no one had a clue who the Kelso Wheelers were until Oscar came along. The club will dine out on the fact that we had a Tour contender for the next 50 years – a top-five finisher, too. And it was this same young lad who used to sit on my wheel for 100 miles and then jump me in a sprint!”

As Onley adapts to his newfound fame as one of the sport’s leading GC lights, it’s Ure who is absorbing some of the media attention. “I never thought I’d see the day when I’d get journalist fatigue,” he laughs. “I”ve been on the radio, in the papers. Everyone goes on about having 15 minutes of fame, but it’s not my fame – it’s someone else’s!”

When Onley eventually returns to Kelso and meets his clubmates, they’ll have a celebration for him – whether he likes it or not.

“What we will do as a club, without a doubt, is honour and commemorate him for being a member and going on to great things,” Ure pledges. “We will have a sportive in his name. A few members were on about it before the Tour, and I always said he has to do something first. His mother agreed, saying, ‘Oh God, don’t do anything like that, as he’s not done anything yet.’ But then he finished fourth in the Tour.”

This feature originally appeared in Cycling Weekly magazine on 18 December 2025. Subscribe now and never miss an issue.

Oscar Onley is to leave Picnic PostNL and ride for Ineos Grenadiers in 2026, it was announced on Tuesday evening.

The 23-year-old has been the subject of fierce transfer speculation in recent months, with Onley himself revealing that "probably 15" teams had reached out.

Picnic PostNL confirmed on Tuesday that a deal had been agreed for Onley to leave the team. Ineos Grenadiers then revealed they had signed the Scot following his "standout" fourth place at this year's Tour de France.

The length of the new contract has not been revealed.

Onley was understood to have a contract at Picnic PostNL until 2027, which has now be broken. The press release from the Dutch squad revealed they had received multiple offers for the Scot, "all of which were initially declined".

The statement continued: "However, a very late but appealing offer was made in recent days. While the team would have loved to keep Oscar for the remainder of his contract and beyond, the proposal was not one Oscar or the team could refuse and an agreement has now been reached."

Commenting on the move, Onley said: "I’m extremely proud of what I’ve achieved with this team. Progressing through from the development program to finishing fourth at the Tour de France has been incredible, and a real testament to what this team is able to do with riders.

"Both Picnic PostNL and Ineos Grenadiers have a great history of racing for victories in Grand Tours, and I know for a fact that both my current and new team will continue to do so in the coming years. The opportunity to represent the team of my home country was one I could not refuse and I’m happy that a solution was found.

"I’ll hold the memories made with this team close, and I know I’ll face tough competition from the next generation of talents they develop in the years to come."

In a statement released by Ineos Grenadiers, the team's new director of racing Geraint Thomas said Onley "complements our rider roster perfectly".

"Oscar’s performance in 2025 has been incredible really. I rode my first Tour when I was 21, so to see what he achieved at this year’s Tour at just 22 was really impressive," Thomas said. "The way he rides and understands a race is mature beyond his years – he’s a proper racer. I can’t wait to work with him – at his age there’s still loads of headroom.

"Our whole team has worked really hard over the winter to re-focus and re-set our ambition, changing our structures and processes to help us deliver against our goals. Oscar fits naturally with this project – and I’m confident the new system we’re building will help him achieve his absolute best."

This time last year, things seemed fairly bleak for Ineos Grenadiers. The British team had just finished their worst year ever, with 14 wins in 2024; Tom Pidock had announced his shock departure to a second-division squad; and Luke Rowe had already left the only team he had ever ridden for, to be a sports director somewhere else. Add in the general downbeat mood, and murmurings over billionaire owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s commitment, and the future did not seem bright.

A year on, and things do seem brighter, and their new kit is orange, too. 2025 was not their worst season ever – in fact they doubled their tally of victories to 28. Geraint Thomas has stepped off his bike and into the backroom as the new director of racing, and the ship appears to be reasonably steady. The team have finally got a fully-fledged development arm, with 12 promising riders, and there are further link ups with American and British junior squads.

If Oscar Onley does move to Ineos, then they will finally have a proper GC rider, who could feasibly podium at a Grand Tour next year, and in Kévin Vauquelin, they have another exciting card to play too. TotalEnergies have come onboard as a significant sponsor, and there do not appear to be any more worries about Ineos Grenadiers’ existence, in the near future anyway. They can look further than just surviving in 2026.

Most of these are objectively good things. The development team, especially, is something that has been missing from Ineos’ structure for years, and could end up producing the next great thing in cycling. All the other top-end WorldTour teams have under-23 outfits: Visma-Lease a Bike Development, UAE Team Emirates Gen Z, Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe Rookies, and Lidl-Trek Future Racing to name a few.

It was odd, and counterintuitive, that Ineos existed for so long without a pipeline, and meant that they missed out on some young, developing talents who needed incubating before being thrust onto the WorldTour. Not every rider on the Racing Academy will work out, or at least won’t be the new Tadej Pogačar or Tom Pidcock, but one or two might, and that’s the point. You have to gamble to reap the rewards.

From a British point of view, it’s also welcome and warming that there are five young Brits on the new development squad, and Ineos will now have a relationship with camsmajaco too; identity is as important in cycling as anywhere else. If Ineos can bring through the next big British talent, rather than Visma, like with Matthew Brennan, or Picnic PostNL with Onley, then they will recover some of their likeability from these shores. They remain the only UK-registered WorldTour team.

However, this is no mea culpa, no complete reversal from last year. I was not wrong to criticise Ineos then. The team absolutely could be heading in the right direction now, but only time will tell if the right structures are in place to let the whole thing bloom. In Thomas and Dr Scott Drawer, the performance side seems to be in good hands, but there are quite a few cooks around the broth these days.

The return of Sir Dave Brailsford from the Tour de France onwards was welcomed, but his role remains unclear and undefined. He’s still not on the Ineos website, press releases give him no job title, but one can imagine that he is calling the shots, which could either be seen as a good thing, linking the team back to its glory years, or a less good thing, not letting it move on. The latter was complicated this year by the story around soigneur David Rozman, which linked Rozman to the doping doctor Mark Schmidt, who was convicted after Operation Aderlass. That has not been fully resolved.

The future of Ineos Grenadiers might have been sustained by the TotalEnergies partnership, but the two sponsors are an obstacle to them becoming suddenly likeable. The British squad are sponsored by two separate petrochemical companies. TotalEnergies, in particular, is not only one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world, with associated climate emergency concerns, but has also been alleged as being complicit in war crimes in Mozambique in a 2021 incident, allegations which TotalEnergies "firmly rejects".

Ineos Grenadiers are not alone in the sport having sponsorship from controversial means, obviously, with this being the year Israel-Premier Tech were forced to rebrand. Separately, UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Bahrain Victorious are both teams with support from Gulf states that have poor human rights records, according to Amnesty. It is worth noting, although maybe I just need to understand that professional cycling in its current guise can’t be sustained by building companies, bike brands, and supermarkets.

Ineos does not have a women’s team, either, a state of affairs which seems set, even if their new partnership with camsmajaco will see young female riders involved in the performance set-up. Ineos are not the sole WorldTour squad with no women's team, but this is an article about them. It is not all sunlit uplands from here on.

Back to the sport, though, and 2026 could be the start of something new for Ineos Grenadiers. With Onley, potentially, and Vaquelin on board, added to Thymen Arensman, Filippo Ganna, Josh Tarling, and the rest, perhaps it is time to start taking them seriously again. If not 2026, the development structure should ensure they’re heading in the right direction. Just don’t mention the “light grey” shorts.

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If you want to get in touch with Adam, email adam.becket@futurenet.com.

Ineos Grenadiers have announced a partnership with a British junior team, creating a "new talent pathway".

The WorldTour squad will link up with camsmajaco, the newly-created merger between the two leading British under-19 squads, Tofauti Everyone Active Majaco and Fensham Howes–MAS-CAMS. Camsmajaco will have 11 male riders and 10 female riders next year.

It follows the announcement last week of Ineos' first under-23 squad, the Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy. Camsmajaco will join American outfit Hot Tubes Development Cycling in Ineos' talent programme.

The relationship between camsmajaco and Ineos Grenadiers will see the former race an international and domestic calendar in 2026, with support from the latter's performance structure. According to the press release, this includes coaching, education, development input and access to the team's European service course.

Welcoming the move, Ineos Grenadiers' new director of racing, Geraint Thomas, said: "This UK-based partnership’s a really important part of our talent identification and development programme. The best young British riders will now be able to access the support of the Ineos Grenadiers and Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy, while continuing to benefit from two outstanding junior programmes.

"This is exactly the kind of start these young riders need and I look forward to seeing the best of their generation come through over the next few years."

The founder and team principal of Fensham Howes is Giles Pidcock, father of former Ineos Grenadiers rider Tom Pidcock. He is now co-lead of the new team.

"This is not just a great moment for our newly formed team in 2026 and beyond, but also for the future of Britain’s cycling talent," he said. "Both of our junior teams have already seen a number of our riders go on to reach the WorldTour, with many more on development programmes. Now we can provide a much clearer bridge to supporting this next step beyond the junior ranks.

The other co-lead, Ian Mansel-Thomas, founder and team principal of Tofauti, added: "Beyond creating a clearly visible pathway to the top of the sport, we’re also excited to increase the level of support and guidance we can give our riders from next season, with access to Ineos Grenadiers’ training and nutrition experts, as well as allowing our riders to rub shoulders with their icons to learn first-hand from their experiences."

Among the riders to come through Fensham Howes are Matthew Brennan, Cycling Weekly's rider of the year 2025, now at Visma-Lease a Bike, Max Poole, now at Picnic PostNL, and Sam Watson, the British national road race champion, who rides for Ineos.

Tofauti has developed male and female riders over the years, including Movistar's Carys Lloyd, Picnic PostNL's Oliver Peace, and Erin Boothman, who will join Liv AlUla Jayco's development squad in 2026. Ineos does not have a women's team.

Ineos Grenadiers have launched a development team for 2026, the Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy, they announced on Thursday.

12 riders, five of whom are British, will form part of the first cohort: Hugo Boucher, Josh Charlton, Mattie Dodd, Davide Frigo, Max Hinds, Milkias Maekele, Fletcher Medway, Nicolas Milesi, Dylan Sage, Max Standen, Cameron Rogers and Theodor Storm.

The team will ride at UCI Continental level, replacing the link with Germany's Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank – who were officially brought on board November 2024. The new Racing Academy will wear black shorts, rather than the controversial new 'light grey' donned by the WorldTour outfit.

The press release reads: "Created to develop and inspire the next generation of Ineos Grenadiers, the Racing Academy will nurture and develop riders who combine talent with the commitment and resilience to realise their full potential.

"The Racing Academy will provide a structured environment that mirrors the standards of the WorldTour - preparing young riders for the rigours of racing as a team at elite level."

Of the British riders, Charlton, 22, will be recognisable to Cycling Weekly readers, given he is a European and world champion in the individual pursuit. He will join fellow British track world champion Josh Tarling as an Ineos rider.

Hinds, 18, finished fourth behind Harry Hudson in the junior road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Kigali this year, and is also a medallist at the Junior World Track Championships. Sage, 18, came through Maindy Flyers club in Cardiff, and finished fifth at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne Juniors.

Dodd, 21, meanwhile, joins from Austrian squad Tirol KTM Cycling, after a solid year of results, and Standen, 18, is a rider coming over from mountain biking.

There are five other nationalities: Italians Frigo, 18, younger brother of NSN Cycling rider Marco, and Milesi, who moves from Arkéa-B&B Hôtels, having finished third overall at the Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine this year.

Australians Medway, 18, and Rogers, 21, are also on the squad. Rogers is the nephew of former time trial world champion Michael Rogers, and spent two seasons with Lidl-Trek Future Racing.

Maekele, 20, from Eritrea, trained at the UCI African Cycling Centre in South Africa, and previously rode for Bike Aid, while Frenchman Boucher joins from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale's junior team, having finished in the top-10 at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Juniors.

Rounding out the team is Storm, 20, from Denmark, who joined Ineos Grenadiers' WorldTour squad in 2024. After spending some of 2024 "fighting for his life" after contracting a rare nervous condition, he is back on the team, having spent 2025 with Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank.

Geraint Thomas, the newly installed Ineos director of racing, said: "The academy system played a major role in shaping my career. It taught me how to be a pro - looking after myself, staying healthy, being organised and preparing properly. All those simple habits and behaviours have stayed with me throughout my career.

"For me, the priority is helping young riders learn what it means to be a professional. Some are living away from home for the first time, some have moved across the world, so there’s a lot for them to take on. It’s about race-craft, understanding their bodies and managing their emotions, and not just hitting numbers. It’s the full package.

"We have signed some exciting guys to the Racing Academy, and seeing all of them together for the first time, felt like I was stepping back 20 years. I could picture myself sitting where they are now, with the whole journey ahead of them. They’re young, keen and it’s brilliant to have them integrated with the WorldTour team."

In a glass-walled office, high up on the umpteenth floor of the HQ of Gobik, Ineos Grenadiers’ kit supplier, a hotshot designer is smiling at their computer screen. “We’ve done it,” the designer says, slapping their hand down onto their thigh. “We’ve broken the internet.” But at what cost?

The notifications keep counting up, like the score on a boxing machine. Together, Gobik and Ineos have dealt the knockout blow. The new kit is the most talked about thing in cycling; fans are sharing images across every social media; no, you don’t get any UCI points for fashion, but it’s a big win for the sponsors, whose logos are everywhere.

What do the comments say? The designer looks back at their screen, and falls into silence. What do they think about the light grey shorts? They love them, right? More silence.

As Jeff Goldblum’s character says in Jurassic Park, “your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should”, and from the uproar online, anyone would have thought Ineos and Gobik had just built a terrifying theme park of murderous dinosaurs.

“Wow, that is truly awful,” one X user responded to the kit announcement, deploying an adjective that would come up again and again. “Unbelievably bad,” another said. Tens of others chimed in: “Worst kit ever, and that’s quite an accomplishment.”

On Instagram, the same feelings were echoed – “horrifying”, “an absolute crime”, “G [Geraint Thomas] is retired on time”. While on Facebook, users were equally as unforgiving – “white shorts are a big no no,” one said.

So what’s not to like about the shorts? Tadej Pogačar and Lotte Kopecky wear all-white from time to time, and they’re supremely popular. Why can’t Ineos do it?

One Facebook user spelled out the issue plainly: “Whenever a race is dirty or wet your riders will all look like they’ve crapped their pants. They’ll definitely stand out, and not in a good way.” Commenters on Cycling Weekly’s Instagram post were more euphemistic about it: “With those shorts, they’ll be streaks ahead,” wrote one. Another simply said: “marginal stains.”

From an hour of social media trawling, Cycling Weekly found no comments that parroted the adjectives from the kit's press release: sophisticated, functional and memorable.

However, among all the green-faced, vomiting emojis, some fans leapt to Ineos’s defence. “Bold design, should make the riders easier to spot,” said one X user. Another praised the kit as being “clean and simple with a good colour palette – it will stand out in the blue peloton… shame people prefer the dullness of kits like Groupama or Decathlon.”

“Quite honestly, best kit in years,” said another.

As always with the internet, it was a tale of two sides. Through it all, there was one comment that summed up the split in opinion best: “It’s actually so bad it could become legendary.”

This, perhaps, is where the legacy of the light grey shorts will lie. People loved to hate AG2R’s brown bibs, until they were replaced with a more widely accepted black, and almost instantly the revisionist nostalgia took hold.

Give it another five years, and the imaginary Gobik designer might be rubbing their hands together once more.

Fashion, just like all art, is subjective. Trends change. When the father of impressionism, Édouard Manet, exhibited some of his early paintings at the Salon, his work was widely panned, controversial with critics and ordinary people alike. He now stands today as one of the totems of French art, beloved by many.

It is my – subjective – opinion that the new Ineos Grenadiers kit is pretty terrible. Not for the orange top half of the jersey, nor for the way it suddenly cuts into white halfway down. No, for the 'light grey' shorts. It's not just bad in a ugh-I-don't-love-it way, as has happened with numerous kits before, but in a I-fundamentally-don't-like-it sense. The shorts don't even appear to match with the lower half of the jersey, but that's not the biggest issue.

Perhaps I'm wrong. I doubt I'm in the minority here, but it is possible that in the future the 'light grey' bib shorts, that are so light they're practically white, will become an icon. Cycling kit fashion changes too. Perhaps it will be the combo that everyone wants to wear. Perhaps I am the reactionaries at L'Académie des Beaux-Arts as Manet shows off what will become a masterpiece. I don't think so, though.

There is a reason why most cycling teams, and recreational riders, use black or navy shorts. There is, of course, space for other dark tones – the dark grey of Jayco AlUla, the brown that AG2R used to wear, the forest green that all the influencers wore for a bit – but light tones are avoided.

Firstly, in case the designers hadn't realised, cycling is an outdoor sport. Light shorts might be great in the boiling heat and dry roads of the Vuelta a España in August, but the team will have to wear them on the muddy cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, the dusty gravel of Strade Bianche, and the inevitable rain of the Giro d'Italia. Light tones are unforgiving, quick to show up all manner of mark or mess, from road debris to, well, unfortunate leaks after euphemistic "nature breaks". They also have the potential to show up, err, a lot more underneath.

Of course, there is space for lighter coloured kits. Tadej Pogačar and Lotte Kopecky have chosen, at times, to wear white shorts with their world champion's jerseys. Similarly, other national and continental champions have worn white shorts on occasions, while the leaders of Grand Tours are often seen in coloured skinsuits.

The difference is that these are choices on particular race days, not a universal kit which is the norm for the team throughout the year. Pogačar could choose not to wear black shorts on a rainy day, but Kim Heiduk or Ben Swift will have to wear light grey whatever the weather.

To give Ineos and the kit's designer, GOBIK, the right to reply, the brand's CEO, Alberto García, said: "The kit has been designed for the team to stand out like never before in the peloton. Orange, an iconic colour for the team, reinforces its identity and is paired with a light grey bib short developed in close collaboration with team management, the riders themselves and our designers.

"We wanted a colour that not only offered visibility and modernity, but also turned the kit into a trend-setting fashion statement within the peloton. This collaborative effort has been key to creating a kit that reflects the spirit of Ineos – the shared drive to innovate."

My friend Rob Borek also expressed positive noises about the kit: "I'm no graphic designer, but I think it will stand out well in the bunch. Pale shorts make your legs look more tanned, which is a result for pasty British people who never see any sun. I like that it's bold and different. I do worry that on wet days, riders may look like they've had bathroom accidents."

The kit will stand out, that's certain, but I'm not sure it's in the way the designers intended. They will probably be fine at the Tour Down Under, but when racing begins in the inclement weather in northern Europe, it will be quite the look. I just hope that the fabric is robust enough to not show everything all the time.

If the kit does become a classic, the 'light grey' shorts the new 'Un Bar aux Folies-Bergère', I will return to apologise, but you won't see me wearing the shorts. The riders might like it – I cannot read minds. Let's see how it is for racing.

Ineos Grenadiers have announced the signing of Australian sprinter Sam Welsford on a two-year contract.

The 29-year-old, who has been at the Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe team for the past two seasons, won the first WorldTour race of this year when he took stage one of the Tour Down Under. He went on to add two more in this year's race, bringing his career total to six in the Australian stage race. He has also won the points classification there for the past two seasons.

So far he only has one Grand Tour participation – the Tour de France in 2023, where he managed a top-10 finish on stage 11.

“I’m really excited to become a Grenadier," said Welsford in a statement on the team's website. "I’ve always admired the team’s professionalism and the way they commit fully to a goal."

He added: “I feel like this is the exact right environment for me to keep progressing as a sprinter and to chase big results. I’m very hungry to contribute, to learn and to race with the kind of intent that this team is renowned for.”

Welsford will be working alongside former Ineos Grenadiers sprinter and new sports director Elia Viviani, the team says. His programme has yet to be announced, but he will presumably revisit the Tour Down Under next month and attempt to add to his tally there.

The team's new director of racing, Geraint Thomas, added: “We haven’t had many sprinters in the team in the past but when we have, they’ve been pretty successful, so hopefully Sam can continue that history.

"Having been given an early insight into what he’s capable of physically, we believe there’s still plenty to unlock with Sam," he added. "The team has shown how dialled we are in positioning our fast guys for the finish, and we’ll do the same to give him opportunities to win.

Thomas also paid homage to Welsford's team pursuit pedigree, something the Welshman will be able to relate to: “He’s got a great track pedigree – Olympic and multiple world champion in the team pursuit – so the way he’s used to working there will fit right into our team environment as well," said Thomas. "I’m super excited to see him get stuck in.”

As we hit January, it is more than the time for pro cycling teams to release their new kits for 2026. For some, this is the best part of the year, before the reality of racing gets involved, when we can just imagine how good the jerseys will look on the road.

Rather than writing up each team individually, we thought it would work better if we collated them together, unless someone does something mad. When all the kits are out, we can do our usual arbitrary evaluation of them too, so do look out for that. In this guide, we will cover all the WorldTour teams, and notable other squads, but not all, otherwise it will get a bit overwhelming, apart from particular exceptions.

If you would rather find out which team riders will be appearing for next year, rather than what they will be wearing, you can find that on our comprehensive transfer guide for 2026 too.

Teams have also changed names – Israel-Premier Tech to NSN Cycling, Alpecin-Deceuninck to Alpecin-Premier Tech, and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale to Decathlon CMA CGM and more – so that will have an impact on the kits too.

While teams will have tried to keep the fresh designs under wraps, a few have leaked into the public domain. However, this list will only have confirmed designs. So far, those who are fans of garish outfits should be pleased.

So far, we are only certain of a few kits for next season, but more will appear in the coming weeks or days. We'll update this as we go!

Picnic PostNL

If I were to play spot the difference, I would be hard pushed with the 2026 Picnic PostNL kit. It remains navy and orange, with the 'Keep Challenging' stripes, and the name is the same too. There are a couple of new sponsors on there, and this is apparently different, but that's it.

As the press release says: "Clear and vibrant amongst the colourful peloton: fans, commentators and pundits alike won’t have to re-adjust for the 2026 campaign as they can expect to see the two orange stripes from those helicopter shots on even the foggiest of days."

Pinarello-Q36.5

It's a continuation of navy for the renamed Pinarello-Q36.5, but no white sleeves this year. Instead, this smart jersey is fully navy, with fancy gold accents. The bikes don't look bad either...

According to Q36.5's founder, Luigi Bergamo: "The new jersey design evolves the visual language we began developing last season to reflect the Italian values of premium, daring, design that we share with Pinarello.

"The result is a kit that allows our riders to feel, from the very first moment they pull on the kit, that they are part of something special and unique: the only team in the professional peloton founded and powered by Italian technical partners. We can’t wait to see this jersey (and our iconic Dottore bib shorts!) racing sharp at the front of the bunch."

Jayco AlUla and Liv AlUla Jayco

MAAP entered WorldTour cycling with their Jayco AlUla and Liv AlUla Jayco kits, and have stuck to their theme from 2025 with this purple – sorry, "Aurora" – jersey, paired with dark grey shorts.

The new addition is the flame motif, which stretches to the socks, which is a bit of fun.

MAAP's creative director, Misha Glisovic, said: "MAAP has always been driven to push the boundaries. It’s core to who we are and how we see our place in the sport. We want to use design to broaden the appeal of pro cycling, nudging the sport towards something more stylish and aspirational. Ultimately, we want to be true to our values at MAAP, and GreenEDGE shares this vision."

Human Powered Health

Women's WorldTour squad Human Powered Health have partnered with Verge Sport for their new kit. The new design keeps the orange/red/purple that we have become used to for the team, but in a new pattern, which is called 'Tailwind'. It's designed "to embody speed, motion, and momentum".

The press release says the jersey has a "rich, sweeping warm-to-cool colour gradient that represents Human Powered Health’s Pillars of Performance". It'll be paired with black shorts.

Lotto-Intermarché

The newly merged Lotto-Intemarché go with the red of Lotto for 2026. The kit is a dark-ish red, paired with black shorts, and there isn't really too much more to say about it. It's smart!

According to the statement: "In terms of colour, both main sponsors, Intermarché and Lotto, were already allies: their brand colours red and black dominate the design. The meaningful, subtle fingerprint pattern further strengthens the bold look."

Bahrain Victorious

Bahrain Victorious have been red, orange, purple, and white, but never blue. That changes in 2026, when the team, now riding Bianchi bikes, will be in navy blue with teal sleeves.

The press release reveals deeper meanings: "At the heart of the kit sits a deep navy, a colour that has been part of the team’s identity since its foundation. Subtly woven into the design is a faint “X” that crosses the jersey, the Roman numeral representing ten years in the sport.

"On the sleeves of the jersey, Bianchi’s iconic Celeste is distinctly featured, perfectly matching the shallow blue waters and teal tones that represent Bahrain’s two seas."

Visma-Lease a Bike

The men and women of Visma-Lease a Bike will continue in yellow for 2026, wearing a kit made by Nimbl, who are more known for their cycling shoes.

According to Francesco Matrone, graphic designer at Nimbl: "In a WorldTour context, design must be essential, intentional, and instantly recognizable. One of our key goals was to create a visual identity that's identifiable at speed and reflects performance and clarity. It must be unmistakably Visma-Lease a Bike. Every graphic element is functional, integrated, and designed to perform under pressure.”

EF Pro Cycling

EF Education–EasyPost and EF Education–Oatly will remain pink next year, but have switched kit suppliers from Rapha to Assos.

Assos says the 2026 kit reflects a "forward-looking mindset" with a "bold colour palette" that evolves EF Pro Cycling’s unmistakable visual identity while introducing "a new, almost other-worldly energy to the peloton."

The silver bits are fun, and pink is always good to me – I just wonder what's going to happen when the Giro d'Italia comes around.

Alpecin-Premier Tech and Fenix-Premier Tech

It's a brand new name for Alpecin-Premier Tech and Fenix-Premier Tech – no more Deceuninck – but not a completely new kit, with similar vibes for the WorldTour and Women's WorldTour teams. The men's team has a kit made by Kalas, which is the same blue as before, more or less, but with a bit more of a light grading across the chest.

The women's team, meanwhile, wear a kit made by Alé, which is pretty similar to the orange of 2025, and there doesn't seem to be the green and blue options from before.

Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto

Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto are usually found in a bold, colourful kit, and next season is no different. This is Luminous, designed by Mckenzie Sampson and made by Canyon. It takes a dark purple base and merges it with turquoise, pink, coral and red.

Sampson said: "I’ve always found Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto to be an aspiring light within the peloton. They’re a team that gives a unique platform to a diverse set of riders across the globe to get their big break in cycling. To visually illustrate that sense of light and hope, we wanted the kit design to be bold yet convey the right balance of contrasting light, unique patterns, and rich saturated moments of colour."

AG Insurance-Soudal

AG Insurance-Soudal have mostly the same kit as their brother team Soudal Quick-Step, just with different sponsors. There is a new logo, too: Datashift, a Belgian leader in data solutions and strategy.

It's a blue base, with green accents across, with a white band across the chest for AG Insurance.

Ineos Grenadiers

There was rumour and speculation that it might happen, but now it is official... Ineos Grenadiers will be wearing WHITE yes WHITE shorts next season. Well, it's technically 'light grey', but come on.

Orange is the main colour on the jersey for the first time, after various blues and reds, but it is the white that stands out. It's as striking, if not more so, as AG2R's famous brown shorts, and we wonder how the riders are feeling about it...

The press release says: "The design was created with a clear purpose: immediate recognition. The exclusive use of this orange ensures a striking presence in the peloton, while the white panels on the lower sections add balance and clarity, allowing the leading colour to shine with harmonious strength. The result is a sophisticated, functional and memorable kit."

Apparently: "Orange is the new uniqueness. Orange is the new icon." Read our opinion on it here.

Soudal Quick-Step

It's evolution not revolution for Soudal Quick-Step in 2026, who have a similar kit to this season, but green rather than white as the accent colour, along with the classic blue.

According to the team: "The new design incorporates a vivid electric-lime element, a deliberate move inspired by the Shine for Safety visibility campaign launched during this year’s Ardennes Classics."

There is a lot more green on the back, which will help them stand out, apparently. It's a nice wavy pattern. The kit is designed and made by Castelli.

FDJ United-SUEZ

If you're thinking "I've seen this kit before", you would be right. FDJ United-SUEZ will be wearing their 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift kit full-time next year. It's largely black, with an explosion of red and blue on the chest.

The press release says about the Gobik kit: "The jersey reflects the unseen hours of the sport: training sessions before dawn, rides in the rain, the fear and doubts of a jour sans. In contrast, a vivid halo of light rises on the chest, symbolising the inner spark that transforms sacrifice into brilliance at the moment of victory.

Demi Vollering won't be in this kit, given the Dutchwoman is European champion.

UAE Team Emirates-XRG

UAE Team Emirates-XRG rarely mix the colour palette up too much, and 2026 will be no different – it's largely white, with black and red trim, but it definitely has changed since last season.

The Pissei kit, handcrafted at the brand's Italian Custom Lab, has some fun geometric patterns on the stormach of the jersey, with black on the arms too. Don't expect to see Tadej Pogačar in this one, however, considering he is world champion.

Movistar

It's a second year in a row in white for Movistar, who have ditched the navy box across the chest for this cleaner offering. There is the classic M on the front, and some accents across the rest of the front.

Apparently: "Gobik sought a futuristic aesthetic, an evolution that projects innovation and performance on a white base. Technological textures, iridescent graphics and subtle transparencies were combined to create a striking design that reflects the identity and avant-garde spirit of the team." Avant-garde. Right.

Lidl-Trek

Lidl-Trek's kit is different. Definitely. There's less red on the front, more blue, and there's a new sponsor on the front, but it is, essentially, the same as last year. There's nothing wrong with that! It's a good kit! "Our favourite colours" is what the team said. Keep it simple. The men and women use the same kit, which is good.

The team say: "With a fresh twist on a fan-favorite design, Santini have delivered again with the 2026 Lidl-Trek kit. Pairing the ultimate fabrics with playful colours, the latest design delivers looks as well as performance."

Decathlon CMA CGM

Sadly, there's no exciting bumf to go with the new Decathlon CMA CGM kit, but with a new name comes a new colour - red. The brown shorts are sadly still in the dustbin of history, with new sponsors CMA CGM bringing the new colour. One sleeve is still teal (?) while the other is a lot darker, rather than the dark blue it was before.

Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe

Now, Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe's kit is yet to be officially announced, but seeing as all the riders in the plane stunt were wearing a new kit, let's assume this is the new one for 2026. It's a lot whiter than before, with royal blue sleeves, and less navy. It is similar to the special kit they used at the Tour de France this season.

SD Worx-Protime

SD Worx-Protime have veered away from the purple and pinks of recent years, and instead will race in this primary colour-heavy jersey which is called "New Dawn"

It's designed by Specialized, and is paired with black shorts. Notably, Lotte Kopecky will be racing in it, no longer being world, European, or Belgian champion, for once.

According to the press release: "The new jersey reflects the team’s and sponsors’ ongoing drive for innovation. Standing still is not an option – continuously reinventing ourselves in every aspect is a core value at SD Worx-Protime. The new design symbolises our rich history through the spark, now multiplied and displayed in various shades. This emphasises the team’s slogan: we spark success."

NSN Cycling

The team formerly known as Israel-Premier Tech have become NSN Cycling, and will be wearing a busy kit next season, with a base of sky blue and orange. The jury is out over whether this will be easy to notice or to lose in the peloton. They're also riding Scott bikes now.

If you want to know why it looks like this, the press release says: "It's designed by Stijn Dossche of stycle.design, is inspired by the Mediterranean city from which the team’s new identity has been forged.

"Its design blends geometry, colour blocks, and patterns reminiscent of contemporary Barcelona - a city that never stands still, where tradition meets modernity, where Mediterranean light becomes art, and movement becomes identity."

Just in time for the Tour de France Grand Départ in July, then – that's in Barça.

Groupama-FDJ United

Another new name, though less dramatic, is Groupama-FDJ United. The French stalwarts are slow to change their kits, normally, and the same is true next year. It's the fetching number they wore at this year's Tour, although it's now made by Bioracer rather than Alé. Essentially, it's royal blue with a red accent sleeve.

Cofidis

Cofidis are another French team barely changing their kit for 2026. The men's and women's teams, now both ProTeams, will use the same red and yellow jersey as this season, although the shades might have been slightly altered, and the sponsors have moved around a bit.

With just over three weeks until the start of the season, Oscar Onley has said his team status is still "up in the air" for 2026.

Speaking to Cyclingnews, the 23-year-old revealed he has had interest from “probably 15 teams” following his fourth place at this summer's Tour de France.

His comments come amid reports linking him with a potential move to Ineos Grenadiers. According to journalist Daniel Benson, the British team has been interested in the Picnic PostNL rider "for months".

Asked if he would still be at his current team next year, Onley told Cyclingnews: “For now, yes. We’ll see. But yeah, it’s still things up in the air a little bit.”

The Scot emerged this year as one of the UK’s brightest Grand Tour prospects, finishing just over a minute shy of the Tour podium on only his second appearance at the race. At the same time, Ineos Grenadiers, the UK's only WorldTour team, are plotting to restore their dominance in three-week races.

“It’s quite obvious that there’s going to be interest in me after coming fourth in the Tour,” said Onley, “and there’s been, I think, probably 15 teams that have reached out to my manager or reached out to the team directly.

“And you know… you also have to capitalise on what I’ve done this year. But, yeah, I can’t really say so much just now.”

Onley is understood to have a contract with his current Picnic PostNL until the end of 2027. Journalist Benson reported on his Substack last week that the Dutch team appears "confident" of retaining their breakthrough GC rider.

As well as finishing fourth at the Tour, Onley’s impressive 2025 counted a stage win at the Tour de Suisse – a race in which he went on to finish third – as well as top-five overall placings at the Santos Tour Down Under, UAE Tour, and Lloyds Tour of Britain Men.

Onley’s interview with Cyclingnews came at Australia’s Tour of Bright, where he finished 19th on Sunday.

Asked about his calendar for next year, the 23-year-old said he hadn’t discussed further than January’s Tour Down Under with his current Picnic PostNL. “That will happen next week,” he said, “when we’re at team camp, which is normal at the December camp to talk about the year.”

Five Ineos Grenadiers riders have had their contracts extended, including two stalwarts, it was revealed on Friday afternoon.

Michał Kwiatkowski and Ben Swift are among the five that will continue to ride into 2026, along with Lucas Hamilton, Kim Heiduk and Brandon Rivera.

Kwiatkowski, 35, joined Team Sky in 2016, and the former world champion will continue with the squad until at least 2028. Meanwhile, Swift was part of the original Team Sky lineup in 2010, and has been at the squad ever since, apart from two years he spent at UAE Team Emirates.

In a press release, the former said: "“It feels natural to stay. I love the atmosphere, the people and the way we work. I’m not here to stay in my comfort zone, I’m here because this is where I push myself every day. I feel joy when things go well and I feel supported when they don’t. That’s cycling - one day you’re on top of the world, the next you’re fighting through a tough moment. It’s been an amazing journey so far, but it’s not over yet.

"This team has been my home for so many years, and I still feel the same hunger and motivation every time I pin on a number. What keeps me here is the people, the trust and the shared ambition to keep performing at the highest level."

Kwiatkowski had an interrupted season after suffering a knee injury at Strade Bianche; he has won Amstel Gold Race twice, Milan-San Remo, and two stages at the Tour de France in a decorated career.

Swift, 38, has become a reliable road captain at Ineos, after being a sprinter earlier in his career. "This team has been such a big part of my life and to head into an 18th season as a pro is fantastic," he said. "I still love the racing, the camaraderie and the purpose we all share. It’s a privilege to help guide the younger riders and play my part in the next chapter of the Grenadiers.

"Our team is on a real upward trajectory and I am looking forward to playing a role in that progression. I can’t wait to kick off the 2026 season and to get racing."

The press release says that he will "continue for another season", implying it might be his last. It has been reported elsewhere that Swift is in the process of his sports director qualifications.

Hamilton has a two-year extension, while Heiduk and Rivera have one more season.

Geraint Thomas, Ineos' newly installed director of racing, said: "It’s brilliant to have these five lads continue with us. They all bring something a bit different and they’ll be key to what we want to do next season.

"With Kwiato, he’s been part of the biggest victories in the team both on a personal level and also in a supporting role, so keeping him involved and having his experience in the rider group is hugely beneficial.

"Kim and Brandon have come on loads since joining the team. They’re just so solid - it doesn’t matter what the race is, they go there, are good and give their absolute best.

"Lucas only joined last year, but he’s a great character to have around with a typical Aussie spirit which we’ve always had to some extent over the years. He had a really strong Giro, impressed across a range of other stage races and will have plenty to contribute in the coming seasons.

"And then there’s Swifty. He’s the elder statesman now, but last season he proved exactly why experience counts. He did a bit of everything, across loads of races, and every single time he was just rock solid. Swifty sets the tone for the younger lads coming through and will play a big part in helping them get to know what bike racing is all about."

Ineos Grenadiers have announced three new signings for 2026: Kévin Vaquelin, Dorian Godon and Embret Svestad-Bårdseng.

Earlier this week, Daniel Benson reported that the team are closing in on signing Australian sprinter Sam Welsford, and that there is interest in signing Oscar Onley, too.

Elia Viviani and Daryl Impey have joined Ineos Grenadiers as sports directors, strengthening their performance team.

Friday's announcement follows Thursday's that Geraint Thomas will become the head of racing; the pair will work under him.

Ineos are currently going through a staffing reshuffle, with sports directors Zak Dempster and Oli Cookson departing for Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe.

Viviani rode for the team when it was Team Sky between 2015 and 2017, before rejoining when it was Ineos Grenadiers between 2022 and 2025. He won a stage of the Giro d'Italia in Ineos colours, as well as the Bretagne Classic-Ouest-France.

The Italian sprinter retired at the end of the season after a successful career which saw him win Olympic and World Championship medals on the track, as well as road victories.

"I’m thrilled to return to the team that has always felt like home, firstly as a rider but now as part of the staff,” Viviani said.

"I want to give my absolute best to support the riders and share everything I’ve learned throughout my career. The team is entering a new era and I’m excited to be part of this challenge."

Meanwhile, Impey joins the team from Israel-Premier Tech, where he has been a DS for the last three years. He spent most of his career at Orica GreenEDGE, winning a stage of the Tour de France in 2019, a race he briefly led in 2013.

"I’ve raced against the Ineos Grenadiers for many years - and even alongside some of the staff earlier in my career - so it’s great to now be working together," Impey said.

"Having started my career as a teammate of Geraint’s [at Barloworld in 2008 and 2009], it’s really special to be reunited now as colleagues. When the opportunity came to join a team with such a clear mission and vision, it was an easy decision to join. I’m excited to get started and hit the ground running in the new year."

Thomas added: "Elia and Daryl are excellent additions to our team. Their experience, professionalism and leadership qualities will add real value to the Ineos Grenadiers.

"They will also bring fresh ideas and perspectives into an established environment which is really important for our growth as a team, as we continue to challenge ourselves in every area."

Geraint Thomas has been appointed as Ineos Grenadiers' director of racing, it was announced on Thursday morning.

The 39-year-old retired as a pro cyclist from the team at the end of his season, and it has long been trailed that he would be stepping into management at the squad.

He will work alongside Sir Dave Brailsford, who returned to Ineos in 2025, and Dr Scott Drawer, the performance director. There was no mention of the team's current CEO, John Allert, in the press release.

"This team has been my home since day one, and stepping into this role feels like a natural next step," Thomas said. "I’ve learnt so much from the people around me - fellow riders and staff - and I now want to continue building on our incredible past success into the future.

"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. The Grenadiers will continue to race with purpose, humility and a commitment to excellence - and I’m excited to help shape that future."

According to the statement: "His appointment reflects the team’s long-term commitment to building from within, harnessing his immense knowledge of the sport and what it takes to win, for the benefit of his fellow Grenadiers."

Thomas has been at Ineos Grenadiers since 2010, when it was Team Sky, with his whole WorldTour career coming at the British squad. He won the Tour de France in 2018, and finished on podiums at Grand Tours on four other occasions.

Ineos won 28 races in 2025, up from their low of 14 in 2024, but have not won a Grand Tour since Egan Bernal at the Giro d'Italia in 2021.

In the press release, Brailsford said: "Geraint typifies what it means to be a Grenadier. He has lived and breathed elite performance throughout his career. He always set himself very ambitious goals and invariably went on to achieve them.

"He 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. The fact that he has stayed so humble and always maintained a great sense of humour are also great attributes to bring to his new role."

Director of racing is a role at the team which has previously been held by Steve Cummings and Roger Hammond; this season, there was no such role. Ineos are going through a staffing reshuffle, with sports directors Zak Dempster and Oli Cookson departing for Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe.

Ineos have signed Kévin Vaquelin, Dorian Godon, and Embret Svestad-Bårdseng for 2026, with question marks remaining over multiple slots in the squad.

While training and nutrition may have improved exponentially throughout the 21 century, it hasn't made the business of racing any easier, retiring Ineos Grenadiers rider Salvatore Puccio has said. In fact, he said, it's only getting harder – and more dangerous.

In an interview with Tutto Bicci, the 36-year-old talked about both the improvements and the hardships of a sport that he called "Incredibly dangerous and exhausting".

And as for the idea of limiting gear ratios, Puccio deemed that a red herring: "It's not a problem with the gears, but with the mindset," he said. "There are only a few of us left braking, and if you slow down, you lose 40 positions in a flash, which is tough to recover. If you leave any space, they'll come at you from all sides.

He added: "The accidents we see on TV are one per cent of what happens; in a group, it's a constant shoving and feeling the pressure of those around you.

"The group is really very compact; once you only experienced this frenzy at the finish line, now it's with us from kilometre zero. Recently, on a descent, I reached 84kph, and I was scared. I fear it will only get worse."

Puccio, who has spent his entire career at the Ineos Grenadiers set-up, having joined back in 2011 when it was Team Sky, also detailed some of the changes in training and nutrition that he'd seen over the years.

"Cycling has changed a lot and is increasingly demanding," he said. "To stay competitive, last winter I did three training sessions a day. I went to the gym in the morning, on my bike, and then on the rollers, dressed up to sweat. How long can a young person handle this pace?

"There's been a revolution in nutrition," he added. "Once upon a time, after an omelette, you'd do a regular five-hour fast. Now you start training with specific, personalized sessions, with pockets full of gels. You have to get used to absorbing 120 grams an hour – a lot.

"I've never had any problems with my weight, I know myself, I know how to manage it, but for many, dieting is an added stress."

Puccio spent a career as a dedicated helper to the team's better known riders, and while he has never ridden the Tour de France, he rode 10 Giri d'Italia – including supporting Chris Froome to victory in 2018 – and seven Vueltas a España.

Having hung up his racing wheels he plans to stay involved in the sport and, taking inspiration from fellow countrymen and Ineos team managers past and present Dario Cioni and Matteo Tosatto, has enrolled on the UCI's sports director course.

Ineos Grenadiers have extended their partnership with Italian bike brand Pinarello for another three years.

The WorldTour team has been sponsored by Pinarello since it began as Sky Procycling in 2010, and has ridden the bikes to victories at all three Grand Tours.

Reports this July suggested that Ineos Grenadiers had no bike sponsor in place for 2026. It has now been confirmed that their 16-year partnership with Pinarello will continue until at least the end of 2028.

"Pinarello has been part of our story from day one," Ineos's Dave Brailsford said in a statement. "What defines this relationship is the genuine collaboration and shared belief that technology, elite performance, and attention to detail can achieve great things.

"With Fausto [Pinarello] and his team steeped in cycling’s rich heritage, we’ve designed and built bikes that have changed the sport. We’re excited to keep pushing forward, innovating together and building on that success over the next three years."

Ineos Grenadiers riders compete on Pinarello Dogma F bikes in bunch road events, and Pinarello Bolide F TT bikes in time trials.

The team's most reason Grand Tour success came at the 2021 Giro d'Italia, through Egan Bernal. Its former rider Tom Pidcock has since ridden Pinarello bikes off-road to world titles in cyclo-cross and XC mountain bike, and an Olympic mountain bike gold medal.

Fausto Pinarello, the bike brand's president, said he was "delighted" to continue the partnership with Ineos Grenadiers, which "feels completely natural".

"Together with the INEOS Grenadiers, we’ve achieved incredible things over the years - World Championships, Hour Records, success in mountain bike and cyclo-cross, and of course, Grand Tour and other major victories on the road," he said.

"Our belief is that INEOS Grenadiers can be the best team in the world again, riding the best bikes in the world," Pinarello continued.

"What makes this relationship so special is that it goes far beyond sponsorship. We know each other deeply - our teams share ideas, push innovation, and are open to new technologies and materials that keep us at the very cutting edge of performance."

There have been reports that Pinarello might also sponsor Pidcock's current team, Q36.5, next season. Pidcock already uses Pinarello bikes in cyclo-cross and MTB.

Sir Bradley Wiggins has said that Team Sky "chucked him under a bus" in relation to doping accusations.

The former Tour de France winner was speaking to The Times ahead of the publication of his new book, The Chain.

"There was something greater going on. [Sky] chucked me under a bus," Wiggins said. "It'll come out."

The still-unresolved 'jiffy-gate' scandal clouded Wiggins' achievements post-retirement, which included Tour glory and five Olympic gold medals.

An investigation was launched into whether a package allegedly received by former Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman for Wiggins at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2011 contained a legal decongestant, or a banned drug.

A subsequent 14-month inquiry brought few answers but left questions for all involved, including the team's then principal, Sir Dave Brailsford. Brailsford told the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport select committee in 2018 that the package contained Fluimucil. Questions were also raised over the team's and Wiggins's use of therapeutic use exemptions, or TUEs.

The committee wrote in their report: "We believe that drugs were being used by Team Sky, within the WADA rules, to enhance the performance of riders, and not just to treat medical need."

Separately, Freeman received a four-year doping ban for his role in ordering banned substances to British Cycling's HQ in 2011.

Wiggins told Cycling Weekly earlier this year: "I would love to know one way or another what actually happened. The whole story was that it was delivered to me [personally]. I was on the podium at the end of the Dauphiné, and it was made to sound like I got delivered a package."

The 45-year-old also talked of his cocaine addiction, which he speaks about in his book, as well as being the victim of abuse. He revealed in 2022 that he had been groomed and sexually abused by his coach when he was 13.

On his addiction, Wiggins writes in The Chain: "Hundreds of thousands of people roaring me on, millions more watching at home. One of the great moments of London 2012, and there I am in a wardrobe, snorting cocaine [off my gold medal], mocking my achievement, hating it for what I believed it had brought me.

"It was the equivalent of pissing on someone's grave, and in that moment, I was pissing on my own. The gold medal, the Tour de France… All of it was dead to me. The person I'd been in Paris and London was dead to me, too."

He is in the 'apology and accountability' phase of Narcotics Anonymous now, which is behind the book, and revealed that he has also stopped drinking. He has written about his drinking habits before, including in In Pursuit of Glory, his first book.

"If I had three pints now and then someone put a line in front of me, I would probably… Well, I don't know. But I don't drink any more," Wiggins said. "I could go for a month, you know, and not … And then it could just hit me like a fucking brick."

"Gym [helps]. I go every day. I have a daily routine that starts at 6.15. I've made my bed by seven. Immaculate. And I plan my meals for the day. I live like I'm a professional athlete."

The Londoner has also bounced back from his high-profile bankruptcy; he told The Times that he is "out of bankruptcy, with more work than I can cope with".

Wiggins said: "I’m earning more money than I’ve earned in the past six years. I’ve got my own house. I’m not homeless any more. A year ago, I was homeless."

Kévin Vauquelin will ride for Ineos Grenadiers from 2026, it was announced on Friday morning, as the British team announced their second French signing of the transfer window.

The 24-year-old spent four full years at Arkéa-B&B Hotels, during which he won a stage of the 2024 Tour de France, and finished seventh overall this season.

The move was long-rumoured, including last year, but it has taken until now for confirmation; the man from Normandy has signed a three-year contract with Ineos. Notably, after Dorian Godon was signed, the team will have three French riders next year, with Axel Laurance there too. In June, a "jersey partner" deal was signed with the French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies.

In a press release, Vauquelin said: "I’m extremely proud to join a team like Ineos Grenadiers which has shaped the history of cycling for over a decade - both in Grand Tours and across the calendar. I’m still in shock

"Arkéa-B&B Hotels will always be important to me. It’s the team where I turned pro, where they trusted me and gave me responsibility. I was able to thrive and learn my job in a calm environment.

"I’m really excited to discover a new environment, new teammates, new equipment and a new way of working with the staff group. For me, it’s the logical next step in my career to continue my progression and explore new horizons."

He continued: "I have participated in two Tour de France editions, and each time it was an emotional rollercoaster. In 2024, I went from a tough moment on the first stage to immense joy on the second day when I won in Bologna. This year, I knew my preparation was good, and I arrived confident.

"I discovered myself at every stage, lived crazy moments, especially when the Tour passed through my home region of Normandy, and I hung in every day. Even now, I think I’ve experienced something completely wild, and I’m proud of myself. For the future, I know I still have a lot to discover, but I’ll work even harder to get closer to the best."

Vauquelin has 10 professional wins, but has also finished second at the Tour de Suisse, and twice second at La Flèche Wallonne.

Notably, Sir Dave Brailsford was quoted from Ineos in the press release – the former principal rejoined the team ahead of the Tour de France, although his exact role remains unclear.

He said: "I’ve been excited to watch Kévin’s progress over the past couple of seasons. Not only is he a punchy rider who knows how to win, at this year’s Tour I was impressed to see him add a new dimension to his racing. He races with intelligence and ambition - qualities that fit perfectly with the Grenadiers.

"We believe his best years are ahead of him and we’re excited to help him realise his potential."

Geraint Thomas has said Ineos Grenadiers didn't deal in a "great" way with the revelation that their head soigneur David Rozman had links to a known doping doctor.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Guardian, published on Tuesday evening, the recently-retired Tour de France winner said that he "wasn't surprised" that Rozman had links to Mark Schmidt, who was convicted after Operation Aderlass.

During this summer's Tour de France, Ineos Grenadiers confirmed that Rozman was to be interviewed again by the International Testing Agency (ITA) into allegations that he had close links to Schmidt.

Reports initially came from German public service broadcaster ARD in June that Rozman, who has been at Team Sky, then Ineos Grenadiers from 2011, invited the German doctor Mark Schmidt to the team’s hotel during the 2012 Tour de France, which was won by Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins.

In 2021, Schmidt was handed a prison sentence of four years and 10 months as part of the Operation Aderlass case, which ruled he had orchestrated a multi-sport doping ring.

"It wasn’t great, the way the team dealt with it," Thomas said. "But it’s a tough one if you get a doctor that’s been in cycling for a while. I’m not saying they’re all dodgy, by any means, but if someone’s been in the sport 15 years, the possibility of them having some sort of link [to a drugs’ cheat] is pretty high.

"It’s been tough, all these things happening over the years with the team. But, as a rider, all you can do is worry about yourself and the next race."

At the Tour, Ineos initially refused to comment on the allegations, before confirming that Rozman had been invited for a follow-up interview by the ITA.

A spokesperson for the team said in July: "Both David and the team will of course co-operate with the ITA and any other authority. The team reiterates its zero-tolerance policy and is unable to comment further at this time."

Asked if he was surprised by the revelation, Thomas said: "I wasn’t surprised that he knew some doctor that ended up being a bit suspect. But just because you know someone doesn’t mean you’re guilty. I was surprised at how quickly it blew up and the bad press he was getting."

When it was put to him that legitimate questions were being asked of Ineos, Thomas replied: "Yes, but I think it could have been looked at without it all coming out. I think if you looked at other teams as intensely, then there will be lots of questions about them. It shows we’re held to a different standard than a lot of other teams."

The 39-year-old is expected to join the management team at Ineos Grenadiers following his retirement.

Ineos Grenadiers have lost two of their key management staff to Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe as Remco Evenepoel's arrival at the latter team nears.

Zak Dempster and Oli Cookson join Red Bull as chief of sports and head of racing, respectively, and will oversee a team of 11 sports directors across the WorldTour and development squads.

Dempster joins after three years at Ineos Grenadiers, during which time he was a lead DS at Grand Tours, including the Tour de France. He spent a few seasons at what is now Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe when it was a Pro Conti team between 2013-16.

"Zak knows our team like very few others. He played an important role in shaping our history, and despite his young age, he already brings extensive international leadership experience," Ralph Denk, the team's CEO, said.

"I am convinced that his fresh ideas, clear leadership style, and fearlessness will help us write the next chapter in our sporting evolution."

"For me, this feels like coming home. I share so many formative moments of my career with this team, and I am excited to now contribute to its future in a new role," Dempster said.

"I know Ralph as an ambitious team manager, and with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe he has created the most exciting project in our sport. Now it’s about realising this enormous potential together."

Dempster and Cookson effectively replace Rolf Aldag, who left Red Bull at the end of July. From 2026, Remco Evenepoel will join the team after breaking his contract with Soudal Quick-Step early, which represents a new frontier for the team.

Cookson has been a DS at Ineos Grenadiers since 2018. The other confirmed WorldTour DSes at Red Bull for 2026 are: Shane Archbold, Tony Gallopin, Roger Hammond, Klaas Lodewyck, Enrico Poitschke, Christian Pömer, Sven Vanthourenhout and Patxi Villa.

This season, Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe finished third at the Tour de France through Florian Lipowitz, won the Volta a Catalunya through Primož Roglič, and finished in the top 10 of the Giro d'Italia with Giulio Pellizzari. Pellizzari and Jai Hindley also finished in the top 10 of the Vuelta a España, and Roglič finished eighth at the Tour.

Meanwhile, Ineos Grenadiers won six Grand Tour stages, including two at the Tour through Thymen Arensman, but haven't won a WorldTour stage race.

Cookson and Dempster's arrival will likely usher in a reshuffle in the management team at Ineos for the third season in a row, with Geraint Thomas expected to take a role post-retirement.

“No, wait, wait, wait,” pleads Egan Bernal, the clippers buzzing against the back of his head. It’s Thursday evening in a hotel somewhere near Valladolid, and the Colombian is surrounded by Ineos Grenadiers staff, watching on and laughing as someone shaves his hair off.

A video of the moment appeared on social media. Within minutes, the treatment was over. Bernal is now one of four Ineos riders to visit the makeshift barbershop at this year’s Vuelta a España. Before him, Brandon Rivera and Michał Kwiatkowski bid adieu to their dos, while Filippo Ganna also lost his locks after his stage 18 time trial victory.

The haircuts have made for a fun subplot to the race. But they beg the question: why are Ineos Grenadiers riders shaving their heads?

The answer can be found in the team’s new motto: “All in for the win, all in for the trim”, which appeared in a now-deleted post on X of a close-cropped Bernal and Ganna.

Kwiatkowsi, the second rider to lose his hair, distilled the idea down into even simpler terms: “Stage win = shaved head,” he wrote on social media. But how does the team decide who loses their hair?

In interviews, the Ineos riders have spoken of a wheel – perhaps a comedically large TV-game-show-style prop, like in Wheel of Fortune, perhaps a more metaphorical one – that contains each of their names. The night before a stage, the person it lands on is obliged to shave their head in the event the team wins the following day. If the selected rider wins the stage himself, he is allowed to nominate a team-mate.

On Monday evening, for example, the pointer fell on Rivera, so when Bernal won his first WorldTour race in four years on Tuesday, Rivera and his hair parted ways. Kwiatkowsi, caught up in all the amusement, said he “volunteered somehow” alongside.

The following day, the wheel chose Bob Jungels, but he was spared by the victory of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Giulio Pellizzari.

The wheel then landed on Ganna for Thursday's stage 18 time trial, an omen that shook the team-mates of the two-time world champion. “If he wins, he gets to nominate someone else, so I’m pretty worried, to be honest,” said Ben Turner, as Ganna waited in the hot seat, having already set the best time.

Three hours later, the Italian's victory was confirmed. The celebrations followed, he waved to the crowds from the podium, and then faced a decision: who would he chose for the barber’s chair? Off went the hair of stage 16's winner Bernal. Ganna, it seems, shaved his too in solidarity.

With three stages to go, there are three more chances at victory at this year’s Vuelta, and three more potential victims of the clippers. Jungels, Turner, Magnus Sheffield and Victor Langellotti have all escaped the game so far. Look out for the wheel's next turn should Ineos win again.

Geraint Thomas started this year’s Lloyds Tour of Britain Men on Tuesday for what will be his last ever professional race with Ineos Grenadiers. Fittingly for a Welshman’s swan song, the race will finish where Thomas’ cycling started, in Cardiff, Wales.

The bike every person from Wales alive must be hoping he can ride home to one final victory after a decorated 17-year career, is a custom-painted version of his trusty Pinarello Dogma.

Running his usual Shimano Dura Ace Di2 groupset, with matching C60 deep section carbon wheels, shod in ultra-light Continental GP5000 TT rubber, he’s hoping Suffolk County Council have fixed the potholes around Woodbridge where the race departs from.

His gearing is pretty conventional, with no need for a compact chainset for the stages around Suffolk in the coming days, which are pan-flat and fast.

His familiar Moist cockpit is enhanced with white bar tape, set off by metallic gold paint, which presumably he’s not worried about getting too dirty before he arrives in Cardiff, aboard this very special Welsh Dragon-adorned Dogma. The saddle is a Prologo Nago R4, with carbon rails.

Whether you hail from Wales or not, the paint is pretty spectacular, featuring a matte dark green base with red and gold gloss details, set against a stunning white backdrop. The paint scheme appears production-ready, featuring gold details such as the ‘4nm’ and ‘5nm’ instructional decals on both the saddle clamp and rail hardware, which are likely unnecessary for professional mechanics who have been working on this bike all season. Perhaps there will be a limited release for the public, depending on how the race concludes.

The top tube features highlights of Thomas’ career, including, of course, his 2018 Tour de France victory. It matches well with his special edition Ineos kit for this week, which has been specially designed to pay tribute to the 39-year-old.

For a man who has had some of his biggest successes on Pinarellos through his 15 years with Team Sky then Ineos, the final race bike is a fitting present.

Ineos Grenadiers will wear a special kit at the Tour of Britain Men next week to honour Geraint Thomas, who will be racing for a final time before retirement.

The kit, released on social media on Wednesday, is a largely red affair, with a Welsh dragon across the middle and a green collar, aping the flag of Wales and the kits of Wales' national teams. It also features the TotalEnergies logo, as all Ineos kits have since the Tour de France.

Thomas, 39, is retiring this year after almost two decades in the professional peloton, bowing out at his home race. He will be honoured with a stage finish in his home town of Cardiff. Moving forward, he is expected to stay on at Ineos in a management role.

The jersey includes the names of people who have been with Thomas along the way. It also references to some of the former Tour de France winner's greatest achievements, including his Olympic and Commonwealth Games golds, his British National Championships victory, and his stage win atop Alpe d'Huez on his way to the yellow jersey in 2018.

The years of his career run down the white band on the back, and it also has a picture drawn by Thomas' son, Macs, of him atop a podium.

"It’s pretty cool, apparently that’s me, that’s him, and that’s Lucas actually. Lucas Hamilton, that’s a bit random," Thomas explained in a video launching the jersey. "Lucas was obviously new to the team, and we were down in Oz, and this is where Macs drew the picture just after that."

"Certainly the most meaningful jersey [I've ever had], that’s for sure," he added. "I think it definitely will be emotional come the final stage, you know, finishing in Cardiff, wearing this. I even got the dates here in the collar. My very first race, 17 January 2007 at the Tour Down Under, last race 7 September 2025, the Tour of Britain. Well hopefully it’s my last race, hopefully I make it there.

"I’m looking forward to it, it’s definitely something I’m going to soak up and enjoy."

"It is kind of strange to think come, well just over a sort of week and a half's time, I will not be a professional athlete anymore," Thomas told the BBC this week.

The Lloyds Tour of Britain begins in Woodbridge, East Suffolk, next Tuesday, and concludes in Cardiff the following Sunday, 7 September.

Guest columnist Matt Rendell, former ITV Tour de France broadcaster, pulls no punches in opinion piece, written in collaboration with the Cool Down Network.

The riders competing in the Vuelta a España finished stage four in the French Alps on Tuesday, and needed a charter flight to Figueres in Spain to get to the start of stage five on Wednesday. In just five days, the race has travelled around 700km already.

Mid-race flights should surely be banned. They are environmentally short-sighted. Climate change is all around us. Extreme heat is no longer an abstract warning for the future: it is here now, disrupting sport and threatening lives. Just 10 days ago, the Vuelta’s primary host was experiencing unprecedented wildfires at the cost of lives and livelihoods.

Few sports experience our warming world with such immediacy. The riders feel the extremes of climate on their skin. What should be a celebration of speed and endurance is unfolding in a landscape transformed by climate breakdown.

For climate conscious sportsmen and women, the invasion of fossil fuel and high polluting sponsors makes cycling a doubly hostile environment. The sport’s friendly culture and undoubted environmental credentials unfortunately suit it to the purposes of businesses seeking to sportswash their image. The association with cycling allows oil companies and other high polluters to achieve something that is otherwise impossible: to make their highly damaging products look green.

While many of cycling’s sponsors are honourable and environmentally attentive, it is a sad truth that, in order to be able to pursue their dreams, talented young athletes with the rare sets of gifts required to become professional cyclists often have little choice but to sell themselves to problematic sponsors. It is ironic. After all, a subsection of the very sponsors who finance the sport are actively involved in destroying the atmosphere, contributing to climate change which is very quickly making the future of cycling profoundly uncertain.

The scientific consensus is that new oil and gas projects will push humanity past safe climate thresholds. However, far from winding down production, the Vuelta’s main sponsor, Eni - the Italian oil and gas giant - is expanding its fossil fuel operations, just like other fossil fuel-based companies. Eni Plenitude branding at the Vuelta allows the company to present a progressive, forward-looking image while continuing to profit from activities that undermine a liveable future. The company sponsors the young jersey competition, and spoke about renewable energy and electric vehicle charging in their press releases pre-race.

For a sport whose appeal is rooted in human effort and the natural world – mountains, valleys, and open roads – the contradiction could not be more glaring.

Eni is not alone in using cycling as a billboard. At this year’s Vuelta, teams funded by the directly or indirectly by the national fossil fuel companies of UAE (UAE Team Emirates-XRG, with XRG being an Abu Dhabi-based energy company), Bahrain (Bahrain Victorious have Bahrain's Bapco as a sponsor) and Kazakhstan (XDS Astana are sponsored by Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna) will line up. Each of these nations has invested heavily in professional cycling as part of a broader push to alter how they are viewed on the global stage.

The presence of authoritarian states among cycling’s most prominent sponsors calls to mind the treatment meted out to protesters during this summer’s Tour de France. We face the future prospect of a sport sponsored by oil companies and authoritarian regimes, held inside a tightly guarded perimeter, within which peaceful protest is brutally stamped out and rider interviews consisting of nothing but corporate puff are conducted by representatives of the race organisation itself.

There is also Ineos Grenadiers. Backed by the UK petrochemical firm, the team doubles as a marketing vehicle for Ineos' SUV. The sight of such companies in a potentially low-carbon sport underlines just how deeply fossil fuel interests have become embedded in professional cycling.

Cycling is not unique in facing this dilemma. Across world sport, high-carbon sponsors have woven themselves into competitions, using association with health and achievement to offset reputational harm. My recent ITV investigation into TotalEnergies’ Tour de France sponsorship showed how these deals connect elite sport to communities already on the climate frontlines.

This is the logic of sportswashing: harnessing the values of sport to conceal, distract, or reframe the damage caused by polluting industries.

Allowing fossil fuel sponsors to dominate the sport at such a moment is more than bad optics. It signals an unwillingness to confront the industries most responsible for the conditions riders are racing through.

Initiatives like the recently-launched Fossil Free Declaration represent one exciting way for cycling fans to come together and demand that the sport’s leading organisations make better choices. After all, change will only come when criticism and action from the fans at the roadside and in front of their televisions bring it about.

Derek Gee has confirmed that he is attempting to terminate his contract with Israel-Premier Tech, publicly speaking out on the issue for the first time.

In a post on social media on Monday afternoon, the Canadian said "certain issues simply made my continuation at the team untenable". It follows Israel-Premier Tech releasing a statement last week saying that Gee's contract was still valid and would last until 2028.

"I confirm that my contract with Israel-Premier Tech has been formally and duly terminated by my legal representatives," the 28-year-old wrote on X and Instagram on Monday.

"This was not an easy decision, but one I made after careful consideration and for legitimate reasons. Certain issues simply made my continuation at the team untenable," he continued.

"In accordance with UCI regulations, I have not yet signed with, nor even spoke to, any new teams. I wish to send a heartfelt thank you to the staff and riders I had the privilege of working with in my time in the organisation."

Gee, the Canadian national champion, was supposed to be riding the Vuelta a España, but was removed from the IPT squad at late notice. He has ridden professionally for the squad since 2023, finishing ninth at the Tour de France last year and fourth at the Giro d'Italia this year.

For a mid-contract transfer move between teams to go ahead, agreement has to be reached between the rider and his past and future squads, and the UCI – as in the case of Remco Evenepoel, who is moving to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe next season, after ending his contract with Soudal Quick-Step early, with compensation believed to be agreed between the two.

It appears that this is not the case with Israel-Premier Tech. On Monday, the team said: "Israel-Premier Tech remains firm in its stance that Derek Gee’s contract with the team is valid. The situation is now in the hands of the UCI and legal representatives to resolve. No further comments can be made."

The matter was made public on Friday, with the suggestion that Gee would be moving to Ineos Grenadiers, although this has not been confirmed.

"Israel-Premier Tech was unexpectedly issued a notice of termination from lawyers representing Derek Gee on Friday, 9 August," the team said last week, when Gee's actions were revealed. "Gee, who is contracted with Israel - Premier Tech until 2028 after signing a five-year contract extension in 2023, had been engaged in discussions with team management to renegotiate the conditions of his current contract.

"Israel-Premier Tech firmly believes that Gee’s contract is valid until 2028 and is engaged in continued discussions with Gee’s representatives and the UCI to resolve the situation and uphold the respective contract. No further comments can be made at this time."

Canadian Derek Gee is attempting to break his contract with the Israel-Premier Tech team and, according to reports, move to Ineos Grenadiers.

Israel-Premier Tech posted on social media on Friday morning that it had received a notice of termination from Gee's lawyers, after Daniel Benson reported on "circulating reports" that the 28-year-old would be moving to Ineos Grenadiers.

None of the parties involved has so far officially confirmed this, but Israel-Premier Tech have made a public statement.

Gee, who was fourth at the Giro d'Italia this year and ninth at last season's Tour de France, had been set to start the Vuelta a España at the weekend, but was taken off the start list, with IPT initially blaming a training accident.

The team's social post suggests it intends to strongly oppose Gee's departure, saying it "firmly believes that Gee’s contract is valid until 2028".

Here is the Israel-Premier Teach statement in full:

"Israel-Premier Tech was unexpectedly issued a notice of termination from lawyers representing Derek Gee on Friday, 9 August. Gee, who is contracted with Israel - Premier Tech until 2028 after signing a five-year contract extension in 2023, had been engaged in discussions with team management to renegotiate the conditions of his current contract.

"Israel-Premier Tech firmly believes that Gee’s contract is valid until 2028 and is engaged in continued discussions with Gee’s representatives and the UCI to resolve the situation and uphold the respective contract. No further comments can be made at this time."

For a mid-season move to go ahead, agreement has to be reached between the rider and his past and future teams, and the UCI – as in the case of Remco Evenepoel, who is moving to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe next season, after ending his contract with Soudal Quick-Step early, with compensation believed to be agreed between the two teams.

While mid-contracts moves are rare, they do happen, as in the case of Evenepoel or Cian Uijtdebroeks. However, the public litigation of a transfer row is reasonably unique.

Gee first came to prominence as a GC rider during the Giro d'Italia in 2023, where his battling riding style netted him four second places on stages, as well as second places in the mountains and points classifications.

His lack of any actual victories in that race despite coming so close gained him many fans as the plucky underdog. However, his more recent results are beginning to mark him out as a genuine Grand Tour contender.