Team Ineos have announced their squad for the 2020 Tour de France, as both Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas have been left out of the line-up.
The British WorldTour team will be backing Egan Bernal for victory in this year’s delayed Tour, which starts in Nice on August 9.
Colombian star Bernal will be joined in the mountains by reigning Giro d’Italia champion Richard Carapaz and rising talent Pavel Sivakov, while Froome and Thomas will not feature in this year’s Tour.
Team Ineos will be undergoing a name change from the 2020 Tour de France, as they will race under the title Ineos Grenadiers to promote a new 4×4 made by their title sponsor.
Froome had been fighting for a place in the Tour de France squad after his horrific crash at the Critérium du Dauphiné last year, but there were questions around his fitness after he seemed to struggle through the first stage races of the restarted season in France.
Thomas, winner of the Tour in 2018, has also been left out of the line-up after a quiet 2020 Dauphiné.
Instead, Thomas will be given leadership at the Giro d’Italia in October as he strives to become the first Welshman to ever win the race.
Froome, who is leaving Team Ineos for Israel Start-Up Nation at the end of the season, will lead a squad at the Vuelta a España later this year, as the team say he needs more time to return to full fitness.
Team principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: “I am very proud that we have several current, and I am sure future, Grand Tour champions in the team. Selecting the right leader in the right race with the right support team is critical and has meant we have had to analyse all the latest information to make sure we are in the best position possible to optimise our performances in the coming months.”
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He added: “Egan will once again target the yellow jersey in France and we are very excited to give last year’s Giro winner, Richard Carapaz, his debut in this year’s Tour also. Geraint will target the Giro and take on the opportunity to double up his Tour de France win with another Grand Tour title, with the aim of being the first Welshman to win it.
“In turn, Chris Froome will target the Vuelta. Chris is a legend of our sport, a true champion who has demonstrated incredible grit and determination to come back from his crash last year. We want to support him to compete for another Grand Tour title and the Vuelta gives him that little bit more time to continue his progress to the top level.”
Team Ineos squad for the Tour de France 2020
Egan Bernal (Col)
Richard Carapaz (Ecu)
Pavel Sivakov (Rus)
Andrey Amador (CRC)
Michał Kwiatkowski (Pol)
Jonathan Castroviejo (Esp)
Luke Rowe (GBr)
Dylan van Baarle (Ned)
