At the hand of returned Brailsford, INEOS Grenadiers dares to dream big again: 'We want to win the Tour'

The once-dominant INEOS Grenadiers have frequently made headlines in the weeks leading up to the Tour. A sponsorship deal with TotalEnergies made waves, Adidas will become the team’s new kit supplier, and top talents continue to sign for the future.

We shouldn’t suddenly expect miracles at the Tour de France, but one man is slowly regaining influence behind the scenes: Dave Brailsford. The Brit, once the mastermind behind Team Sky, has recently worked as Director of Sport at sponsor INEOS, overseeing all of the company’s sporting projects — including Manchester United.

Now, rumors of Brailsford’s return to cycling are gaining traction. Benson reported that the late announcement of the Tour roster was tied directly to Brailsford’s involvement. "Dave Brailsford is back in a big way. He selected the Tour de France team, which was finalized on Tuesday night."

Cyclingnews soon published a response from the team. "Dave went all in. There’s no doubt about it, and he absolutely loves it," said INEOS team manager John Allert on Brailsford’s comeback. "He’s like a kid in a candy store, talking about climbs and returning to the mountains. For him, that’s the battlefield he knows and loves."

"We welcomed him back to the team with open arms," Allert added. "He’s sort of our not-so-secret weapon, and we plan to make full use of him. It’s great to have him back." The team, however, denied that Brailsford’s return had delayed the Tour selection. Instead, recent illnesses and injuries within the squad were cited as the real reason for the hold-up.

With Brailsford back in the mix, INEOS isn’t afraid to set bold goals. "We want to win the Tour — but it’s not enough to just say it, you have to act on it. That’s one reason why it’s so great to have Dave back. He thrives on performance-driven challenges, and this is the biggest one," Allert explained.

"Dave and everyone at INEOS, everyone in the team, wants to win the Tour," the team manager continued. "We need to do more than we’re doing now — we need to be better than the people dominating today. That’s what we’re aiming for. That’s our mission. And that’s why it’s such a big deal to have Dave involved."

Allert also shed light on the new deal with TotalEnergies. "Since 2010, I think we’ve earned the right to be called a super team. We’re a super team that needs to win more. Winning doesn’t come cheap, and budgets keep rising. We used to be at the top, but that’s no longer the case. It’s not just about money, but also about competence, strategy, resources, hard work — all those good things."

"Total, as a partner for INEOS, is extremely valuable — both industrially and in sports," Allert continued. "Signing other partners like Adidas is helpful too, and we have other ongoing conversations that haven’t yet been finalized. It’s amazing to realize that we have something that attracts investment — and also exciting riders for next year and beyond."

Still, the journey continues, said the team boss. The retirement of Geraint Thomas doesn’t mark the end of an era. "We’re a GC team that wants to win the Tour, and that has never changed. We’ve become a bit more expressive, aggressive, and flamboyant in how we race — and that’s thanks to the incredible guys wearing our jersey. I think in ten years’ time, people will look back at this era as a turning point towards a new chapter of success," Allert concluded.