Ineos Grenadiers will be led by Carlos Rodríguez at the Tour de France, supported by Geraint Thomas in his final edition, and new British champion Sam Watson, it was announced on Wednesday afternoon.
The British team were the last team to reveal their eight men for the French Grand Tour, but after Thomas hinted at his inclusion earlier in the day, the press release confirmed the news.
There is a surprise inclusion for Watson, who won the road race at the British National Road Championships on Sunday, and a surprise omission of Michał Kwiatkowski, who has raced all but two Tours for Ineos since he joined in 2016, although the Pole has not raced since Tirreno-Adriatico.
Rodríguez will aim for a top-10 finish at the Tour for a third time in a row, supported by Thomas in his 14th edition; last year, the former finished seventh overall. Also in the team are Tobias Foss, Filippo Ganna, Axel Laurance, Connor Swift and Thymen Arensman. Foss, Watson and Arensman will be making their debuts in the Tour.
"We've selected a strong and experienced group of riders with the collective knowledge of how best to compete over three weeks, racing against the toughest competition in our sport," performance director Dr Scott Drawer said. "Carlos will be our leader, given his consistent climbing performances and his unwavering drive and resilience. He has been focussed on building towards the Tour all year and he is coming into the race in good form.
"Supporting Carlos is a group that's ridden multiple Tour de France editions and have the experience to handle whatever the race throws at us. Geraint, as a previous winner, and with all his knowledge and his cool, calm head will be critical support to Carlos and the whole team, both on and off the bike.
"It’s going to be a very special edition of the Tour, with every single one of the 3338.8 kms battled out across French soil. As a team, we have been racing this season in the way we love - aggressively and with freedom and flair - and we are ready to bring more of the same to the biggest race of the year."
"It was a bit of a tough start to the season with the crash in February, but I recovered pretty quickly and have been building back ever since," Rodríguez said. "The goal was always to line up at the Tour in July in my best form. Everything so far has gone to plan. I have managed to prepare well with some high-quality training and I have some good racing in the legs.
"Of course, it’s going to be a tough race against the best in the world but we will be coming out fighting and aim to be right up there at the front. It’s going to be an epic race and a real spectacle for the fans."
It will be the final Tour for 2018 winner Thomas, who is retiring at the end of the year.
"I’m really looking forward to my final Tour de France. It’ll be my 14th, which sounds mad, I never thought that when I first lined up for it back in 2007, I’d still be going," he said. "I’ve certainly had my ups and downs but it’s an amazing race; the biggest and best in the world, and my favourite.
"It’s never straightforward and always super-hard, but this year my approach will be as it always is - to give everything out on the road for the team to be as successful as possible. We’ll all have important roles to play and I will definitely be playing mine.
"I just can’t wait to get to Lille and into the spirit of what’s always a rollercoaster of an event. A three week all-inclusive bike holiday around France, what’s not to like?!"
