Health issues could force Dave Brailsford to step down as Ineos Grenadiers boss

Ineos Grenadiers boss Dave Brailsford has said his health issues could force him to step down from the top job at the British team.

The 57-year-old has been treated for both cancer and heart issues in the past two years, the latter occurring at the time of the Richard Freeman hearing earlier this year, where the former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor was struck off after ordering banned testosterone to British Cycling HQ.

"If I do have any further health issues, I won’t be able to continue. I’m pretty clear about that," Brailsford told the Guardian.

"I’m trying to look after myself but I’m here to help other people, to lead and support other people. If the moment comes when you’re trying to support yourself more then it’s time to get out."

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Brailsford said the heart problems were much scarier to deal with and have caused him to question how long his health will last, adding these health issues stem from the stress of the job over the past decade, and were not caused by the Freeman fallout.

Brailsford says the crashes of Geraint Thomas and also rival Primož Roglič changed the race into a very different one than they expected, but that his team's record over the past 10 years speaks for itself when people question Ineos' inability to win the past two Tours de France.

“When we came into the race, we knew we were up against what we thought was going to be two very strong contenders in Pogačar and Roglič. We felt, off the back of the week long stage races [we had won], with the guys in form, that we’d be able to have a multi-pronged attack. But that first week Geraint crashed, there were crashes for the other guys and that changed the dynamic for us totally," Brailsford explained.

"We never got into the flow of it from there and it changed the opportunities for us. Roglič crashing out also changed the dynamic of the race so it ended up being a very different race than we expected."

"This is our 34th Grand Tour and we’ve won 12 and I don’t think that’s an accident. There’s been two Grand Tours this year. We have won one and finished third in the other. We have won more stage races this year than we have ever won, so I’m not sure where any pessimism is coming from."