Traksel and Hermsen understand INEOS' problem: "A rigorous makeover is necessary, success inevitably makes you lazy"

In the podcast Kop over Kop from Eurosport, they discuss the awkward situation at INEOS-Grenadiers. 2024 was dramatic, and an immediate solution appears yet to be found. What must INEOS do to get back on top, and where exactly have things gone wrong?

"In 2017, they still won the Tour de France and the Vuelta with Froome. In 2018, they emerged again with Froome and Thomas, winning the Giro and the Tour and a whopping 43 victories. Next came the Tour victory with Egan Bernal in 2019 and two years later the victory in the Giro," Sander Valentine summarizes.

So far, good news, but from 2022 onwards, things start to go wrong. "There were as many as 39 wins then, including Paris-Roubaix, and in 2023 there were 38 wins. This season, however, they didn't get beyond 14 wins. It may be journalism based on scoreboards, but the question remains: what is INEOS' focus point?" continued Valentine.

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Success makes you lazy, so action is needed

Jan Hermsen believes success is hard to sustain, especially with a dominant team. "When you're that good, success makes you a little lazy," Hermsen believes. "We have seen that the focus slowly fades away with other teams, such as Visma | Lease a Bike. You automatically start working just a little less, and INEOS can keep that up for a while, but eventually, you have to make changes."

According to Hermsen, the team is also too outdated. "Just say goodbye to Thomas, Froome, Bernal, and other big names who are paid richly. It is hard work and unpopular. But success just makes you lazy."

Bobbie Traksel agrees with Hermsen. "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 the team needs a rigorous makeover."

Traksel, however, comments on the departure of certain riders. "Thomas is the oldest, but you shouldn't throw him out. If you see what he did in the Giro last year, you can't just let someone like that go. In short, INEOS is not what it used to be, but they are still in the top three financially."

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Pidcock remains a difficult file 

Tom Pidcock topped the attention surrounding the team this year. Several incidents of rioting occurred this year, leading, for example, to the departure of team leader Steve Cummings. Pidcock was also supposed to leave, which didn't happen then and perhaps happened again last week. Indeed, rumors flared up again at La Gazzetta dello Sport, "Sources confirm that a departure of Pidcock at INEOS to Q36.5 Pro Cycling before 2025 is still on the table. We don't say it's 100 per cent done but the possibility still exist, news possibly coming in next days..."

The Eurosport podcast also saw Pidcock's progression as a significant issue within the team. "Pidcock was going for the Olympics on the mountain bike, and he won those with flying colors. But he also said he wanted to ride the Tour for the GC, raising some eyebrows. Now, he has been told by the team management that he has to say he is going for the GC. The team and Pidcock are guilty in this," concluded Jeroen Vanbelleghem.

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