Ineos announce their full Tour de France 2021 squad
Here is the eight-man team the British outfit will be taking to the French Grand Tour
![Ineos Grenadiers](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RtJLbYzvY27pwenREQ9dmN-415-80.jpeg)
Ineos have announced their eight-man squad for this year's Tour de France.
Geraint Thomas is of course on the start list - how else are they going to achieve their aim of delivering the Welshman a second yellow jersey without his name on their roster?
But here are the seven riders who will be supporting him, with many of them capable of winning the race themselves.
Ineos boast the two most recent Giro d'Italia winners in their line-up, if that's not Grand Tour pedigree I don't know what is, in Tao Geoghegan Hart and Richard Carapaz.
Geoghegan Hart will be making his Tour debut, and this will be his first three-week race since that 2020 Giro win. Carapaz, meanwhile, recently took the overall victory at the Tour de Suisse and seems to be in frightening form.
>>> No Tour de France for Mark Cavendish as Sam Bennett is confirmed fit by Lefevere
Richie Porte is another Ineos rider who's won a prestigious stage race already this year, the Critérium du Dauphiné, and has already promised to go "all-out for G" at the Tour as yet another super-domestique at Thomas' disposal.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The final four names are all familiar ones and have ridden the past two Tours for Ineos.
Spaniard Jonathan Castroviejo, former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski, road captain Luke Rowe and the Dutchman Dylan van Baarle.
“We won’t win this Tour by sitting in the wheels. We have the team to make it a racers’ race, take the initiative, seize every opportunity and make our opposition focus for every kilometre of every stage," team boss Dave Brailsford promises.
“We have changed our race philosophy this season to being more open and aggressive. Our performances have built all season and a joy of racing has infused the whole team.
"This more adventurous approach has led us to fearless racing and this is exactly how we will hit the Tour. We will seek out every moment in every stage where the race is on and try to exploit it. Key for us this Tour is our collective strength and camaraderie to the end. Expect the unexpected.”
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
How to watch the Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
Get all the information you need to watch the action of the men's and women's Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
By Cat Glowinski Published
-
Ribble Cycles looking to capitalise on 'big summer of sport' with 30% off highly-rated models
Direct-to-consumer Ribble Cycles has always been rated highly among the Cycling Weekly tech team. This is our pick of the best Road, Gravel and E-bikes from their 'Summer Sale'
By Matt Ischt-Barnard Published
-
Tadej Pogačar broke 288 Strava KOMs during Tour de France victory
Slovenian won his third Tour title in Nice last weekend, and picked up a host of new trophies on Strava
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Primož Roglič reveals he suffered back fracture in Tour de France crash
Slovenian abandoned race after being caught up in crash on stage 12, Vuelta a España participation now in doubt
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
It's time to stop expecting so much of Ineos Grenadiers at the Tour de France
The British team are always under pressure to match their past best, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon
By Adam Becket Published
-
'A bigger result than winning': Jonas Vingegaard hails second place at the Tour de France
It turns out second place is not always 'first loser'
By James Shrubsall Published
-
'Even if I never come back to the Tour de France I will be satisfied': Tadej Pogačar revels in third victory
Three Tour de France wins before turning 26, the Giro-Tour double, the suggestion of a triple crown. Records tumble for the Slovenian
By Adam Becket Published
-
Remco Evenepoel: No one should doubt me anymore
The Tour de France's third-placed finisher suggests that he will have to reduce his time trial work if he is to beat Tadej Pogačar
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Tadej Pogačar: 'There will always be doubts... but cycling is the cleanest sport'
Tour de France champion addresses critics, saying it would be "super stupid" to dope
By Adam Becket Published
-
How Tadej Pogačar created history and won the Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double
A journey that was supposedly fraught with risk and uncertainty was anything but for Giro d'Italia and Tour de France victor Tadej Pogačar
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published