Ineos Grenadiers have introduced their star-studded roster for the 2024 Tour de France with breakthrough star eventually yr’s Tour, Carlos Rodríguez and 2019 winner, Egan Bernal, spearheading their GC ambitions.
Rodríguez was wonderful on the Tour in 2023, taking a stage win forward of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) on stage 14 and managing fifth general in Paris regardless of a late crash. He arrives off the again of a latest stage win on the Critérium du Dauphiné and general victory on the Tour de Romandie.
Former winner Bernal has continued his resurgence again to kind following a close to profession and life-ending crash in 2022 and regarded near his finest on the Tour de Suisse earlier this month the place he took fourth general.
The GC pair shall be joined by one other former Tour winner, Geraint Thomas, off the again of a Giro d’Italia podium and a mixture of gifted youth and expertise in Tom Pidcock, Michał Kwiatkowski, Laurens De Plus, Jonathan Castroviejo and Ben Turner.
“After a robust and constant season, Carlos [Rodríguez] shall be main the INEOS Grenadiers’ cost throughout France. Carlos has continued to impress us together with his racing in addition to his professionalism and perspective on and off the bike,” stated Performance Director Scott Drawer in a team release.
“Right beside him would be the power and Tour expertise of Egan [Bernal], with Tom [Pidcock] and Geraint [Thomas] offering help but additionally seeking to race aggressively, disrupt and take the race to our competitors.”
Rodríguez confirmed himself as among the best GC riders on the earth eventually yr’s Tour, and he is solely 23 with a knack for profitable phases. While he could also be unable to combat with Pogačar and Vingegaard for general victory, these vying for the rostrum will know what he’s able to.
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“My preparation has gone properly to this point, and I really feel assured that I shall be beginning in Florence in the very best form attainable. I had a slower begin to the yr than I needed however have turned that round and the legs at the moment are feeling good, and my physique is responding properly,” stated Rodríguez in a press launch.
For Bernal, it’s an enormous second after over two years of combating to regain kind to be introduced as Ineos’ co-leader in France. His outcomes have solely pointed in the suitable route in 2024, now within the battle for WorldTour podiums at each look.
“I’m very pleased to be chosen once more. My ambition is to be actually aggressive and to be somebody who could make an actual distinction within the race,” stated Bernal.
Thomas and Pidcock have been introduced as help riders for the 2 leaders, regardless of the latter at all times stating that his ambition is to be a GC rider who will someday win the Tour de France. But he has different objectives in thoughts with a defence of his Olympic MTB title arriving shortly after the Tour’s conclusion.
Nonetheless, he’s nonetheless focusing on one other stage so as to add to his Alpe d’Huez triumph from 2022 and after a robust TT on the Tour de Suisse, the place he took sixth general, a GC run isn’t out of the query.
“I’ve gained a Tour stage earlier than and that’s actually one thing I’d like to do once more. The opening few phases this yr current an actual alternative however there are lots of riders with eyes on the yellow jersey,” stated the younger Brit.
“After a block at altitude after which getting again to racing on the Tour de Suisse, I used to be enhancing day-after-day and I had my finest day on the TT bike, which could be very promising and definitely the suitable route I wish to be getting into in the mean time.”
Thomas is beginning his thirteenth Tour and twenty first Grand Tour however he’s sticking with what he stated on the Giro and never planning a GC cost, simply wanting ahead to some thrilling racing and aiding his leaders together with his wealth of expertise.
“I didn’t know the way I’d really feel after the Giro and getting again to coaching as I’ve by no means carried out the Giro-Tour double earlier than, but it surely’s been a strong block and the legs are feeling fairly good,” he stated. “Personally, I’m wanting ahead to racing with a bit much less strain and extra freedom to combine it up and attempt to get actually caught in.”
Ineos Grenadiers 2024 Tour de France squad
- Carlos Rodríguez
- Egan Bernal
- Geraint Thomas
- Thomas Pidcock
- Ben Turner
- Jonathan Castroviejo
- Laurens De Plus
- Michał Kwiatkowski