Nationality: British
Luke Rowe has proven himself a loyal and tactically astute domestique over the years, helping Chris Froome to his Tour de France victories in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Moreover, Rowe has developed into the squad's team captain which means he'll be making many of the crucial mid-race decisions for the team.
A fellow product of the British Cycling academy along with team-mates Geraint Thomas, Peter Kennaugh and Ian Stannard, Rowe's career has yet to produce a flourish of personal success that might have been expected by a rider of his talent after eight years with Team Sky.
But he's shown his potential to grow into one of Britain's most successful Classics riders. In 2016, he headed the Sky team at Monuments Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix alongside Stannard, recording a fifth place at Flanders to add to an eighth place finish at Roubaix he achieved in 2015.
Rowe started 2017 strongly, taking his first win since 2012 on stage two of the Herald Sun Tour. This was followed by a solid show on the opening weekend of the cobbled classics, with sixth in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and third in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. He also gained the noble title of 'lanterne rouge', given to the last finishing rider at the Tour de France. Luckily, teammate Froome finished in polar opposite first position.
Ill fortune struck late in the season when he fractured his tibia and fibula whilst whitewater rafting at his brothers stag party. Disproving doctors expectations, he returned to cycling in February of 2018. However, another two seasons of average classics performances awaited. The Welshman still believes the form is there, so only time will tell.
Another notable moment occurred in the 2019 TdF, when Luke Rowe and Tony Martin were expelled from the race on stage 17 due to Martin swerving in-front of Rowe, followed by Rowe placing his hands on the German.
Alongside his commitments as a professional riders, Rowe wrote a weekly column for Cycling Weekly magazine, hosts a podcast with Geraint Thomas and enjoys watching ice hockey in his spare time.
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'I never thought I'd really leave the team': Luke Rowe opens up on his reasons for departing Ineos Grenadiers
Welsh road captain is heading to Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale to become a sports director
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Luke Rowe to leave Ineos Grenadiers, joins Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale as a sports director
The Welsh rider spent 13 years with the British squad
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'You can't sugarcoat it' - Luke Rowe says Ineos Grenadiers are 'underperforming'
British squad's experienced road captain believes his team has been "overtaken" by others
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Luke Rowe set to retire at end of 2024, as Geraint Thomas '95%' certain to retire in 2025
The Welsh pair will likely both have left professional cycling by 2026
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'I thought I was more in the door than I was' - Luke Rowe bares all on Vuelta a España snub
Welshman will not race a Grand Tour this year after he missed out on selection by Ineos Grenadiers
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Fred Wright anticipating tough battle in elite men's road race at World Championships
Luke Rowe on racing Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert: 'If you wait and try to race them man on man in the final, I think you’re just waiting with a loaded gun to your head'
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'If you sent me a message you are nuts': Luke Rowe hits back at critics after Paris-Roubaix crash with Mads Pedersen
The Brit challenges anyone who criticised him to try riding through the Arenberg forest with a front wheel puncture themselves
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Luke Rowe explains why he was handed fine on Tour de France stage three
The British rider was fined by commissaries for 'assault, intimidation, insults, threats, improper conduct'
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Team Ineos looking into appeal after Luke Rowe kicked off Tour de France 2019
Team Ineos say they hope to appeal the decision to throw Luke Rowe out of the Tour de France.
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Luke Rowe: Why a good training partner is so important
“The perfect training partner is on time, motivated, reliable, has all the necessary kit, a tale to tell and knows a good route” says Luke Rowe
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Luke Rowe donates bike after thieves steal NHS doctor’s bike from outside hospital
Luke Rowe has stepped in to help an NHS doctor after thieves stole his bike while he was working in the intensive care unit.
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Team Sky director backs Luke Rowe to spring Paris-Roubaix surprise
Rowe returns to Paris-Roubaix despite breaking his leg severly in the latter part of 2017
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Luke Rowe 'heading into the unknown' in Milan-San Remo
Welshman Luke Rowe continues his comeback from serious leg injury at this Saturday's Milan-San Remo
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'Chapeau to the whole peloton minus Astana,' says Luke Rowe after chaotic Tour de France 2020 stage one
Riders have described the stage one roads as 'like ice' on a day where crashes dominated the action
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Luke Rowe: 'It's about time I won something'
Team Sky's Luke Rowe took his first win in four years when he raised his arms in victory on stage two of the Herald Sun Tour in Victoria, Australia.
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Luke Rowe column: 'If we could do two days training in one day, we could spend Sunday hungover in bed''
“If we could cram the two days’ training into one day, we could go on the night out and spend the Sunday hungover in bed”
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Luke Rowe relishing return to racing as he makes front echelon in crosswinds at Abu Dhabi Tour
Just six months after suffering a career-threatening broken leg, Luke Rowe is back racing and making the front group in crosswinds at the Abu Dhabi Tour.
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'One big crash and it would shatter': Luke Rowe says he'll have 'no regrets' approach when he returns from broken leg
Luke Rowe reveals how surgeon told him he might never ride again after breaking leg in August, and how one bad crash could have life-changing consequences.
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Luke Rowe disqualified from Tour of Flanders: 'I'm just gutted'
Team Sky Welshman Luke Rowe reportedly rode onto bike path in among spectators during the Tour of Flanders
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Luke Rowe: 'I've not ruled out riding the Tour de France'
Welshman is ahead of schedule as he recovers from serious leg injury
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Luke Rowe ends season early with wrist fracture
The Team Sky rider was due to race the Canadian Classics before the end of the season
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Luke Rowe column: why do so many pro cyclists live on the Côte d’Azur?
Team Sky rider and Cycling Weekly columnist Luke Rowe gives his guide to life as a professional rider on the Côte d'Azur and why it's perfect for training.
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Luke Rowe signs long-term extension with Team Ineos
Luke Rowe has signed a long-term contract extension with Team Ineos, allowing him to continue supporting the young riders in the squad like Egan Bernal.
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Luke Rowe left frustrated after missing podium at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Luke Rowe was the key instigator of the break that made it to the finish of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad but ultimately left empty handed
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Luke Rowe gunning for Paris-Roubaix after impressive ride at the Tour of Flanders
The Welshman says he took a massive step forward at Sunday's Tour of Flanders, and now looks ahead to the Hell of the North next week
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Luke Rowe hitting the gym and 'smashing Only Fools and Horses' as he recovers from broken leg
Luke Rowe has started strength work in the gym as he begins his recovery from a broken leg sustained in an accident at a stag party in August.
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Luke Rowe left 'really gutted' after crash ends his Tour of Flanders hopes
Luke Rowe was taken down in a crash by Sep Vanmarcke and was immediately out of contention for the Tour of Flanders
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Luke Rowe column: A crazy bet over not wearing winter gloves
In his latest column for Cycling Weekly, Luke Rowe tells us of a bet he once had with another rider that he wouldn't wear gloves all winter
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Luke Rowe: I feel like I’ve let the team and myself down
Luke Rowe said he feels like he has let his team and himself down after being thrown off the Tour de France.
