Finally good news for INEOS Grenadiers, British formation likely to close deal with new sponsor

2024 was by no means a good year for INEOS Grenadiers. Team Sky's glory days seemed far behind us—at least, given the British team's struggles this year. But the British formation can bring out better news in 2025, according to Italian journalist Ciro Scognamiglio of La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

Geraint Thomas finished third at the Giro d'Italia. Carlos Rodríguez featured in the Tour and Vuelta but could not make the most of it with a seventh and tenth-place finish. Obviously, this was not enough for the star formation. Especially in the Tour, it was an embarrassing performance. The team was practically invisible.

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Pidcock left INEOS Grenadiers

A year filled with turmoil and problems

But the biggest saga this year revolved around Tom Pidcock. The British star and team leader wanted to leave, then didn't go, and finally did. The Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team acquired him. Meanwhile, he was already making sure team leader Steve Cummings was escorted to the exit. Performance engineer Dan Bigham switched to the rival Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. Even the loyal Luke Rowe preferred to go elsewhere.

Many analysts also judged harshly. 'In the days of Sky, they were innovative and ahead of everyone. Now, they are still doing the same thing but not winning. The current INEOS has missed the mark, and it is time to make changes in the team,' Bobbie Traksel, for example, thought.

Earlier, Johan Bruyneel also expressed concern about the future of INEOS Grenadiers. In an episode of the podcast The Move, he stated that CEO Jim Ratcliffe seemed increasingly disinterested in the cycling team and predicted that the team might no longer have a presence in the pro peloton in a few years.

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Carlos Rodriguez 

INEOS Grenadiers closing deal with new sponsor? 

With Scognamiglio's news, that appears to be averted for now. There are also a few other positives to mention. For example, the team has joined forces with Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank. The German continental formation will act as the British official development team starting in 2025.

And if the Scognamiglio news is accurate, more positive news will come. The Italian wrote the following in an X-message: "Sources confirmed that INEOS Grenadiers is likely to sign a deal with a new important sponsor for the team (we don't know the name so far). This sponsor could also enter team-denomination in the second part of 2025 or 2026." British cycling journalist Daniel Benson also shared the tweet.

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