Departure has nothing to do with argument Rowe and INEOS: "It's just good to change from time to time"

Rowe came straight to the point. "Yes mate, from next year I will be working for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. It was a secret to the public that cycling is a small world. I walked into their hotel at the Tour de France, and Israel-Premier Tech was there, too. Then they know immediately, too. But I am looking forward to it and am excited. They have obvious goals, short- and long-term. And their path is defined."

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Rowe recently criticized his current team, which is not why he is leaving. "The last few years at Sky and INEOS Grenadiers were nice, but some change is good. There's no reason I didn't want to stay at INEOS, and I think change is good now. Maybe I'll come back there someday. I'll be sports director there, focusing on the classic races in the spring."

The 34-year-old Welshman wanted to stay in the sport anyway. "I love cycling; that was obvious to me." Thomas also needs to start thinking about life after the sport: "I also should start having a goal; 2025 is my last year. During your adult life, you still have to go through something. It will also be a new dot on the horizon for me.' A choice for Decathlon was easier for Rowe because of the increasingly international nature of the team. 'English is always the language of communication there. It's an established team; look at how long they've been there."

And the French team is also winning more and more. "They have recorded a lot of wins this season. They also want to win even more, thinking about five or six years later." Thomas is undoubtedly going to miss his companion. "Next year, you'll be in the car, which I often see now. That's weird." Rowe was witty in his response, "I can always offer you a bumper if you need to get back in the peloton."