INEOS Grenadiers prepares large-scale merger with French giant, but image likely to take a hit

It’s reportedly a multi-million euro deal, answering the call from INEOS boss Jim Ratcliffe. The main backer of INEOS Grenadiers has been seeking additional financial partners for some time, aided by a major marketing firm. CEO John Allert had already stated that hundreds of talks had taken place with potential sponsors. Now, it seems TotalEnergies is set to join forces.

From a purely sporting perspective, the merger makes some sense. INEOS is looking to climb back to the top, while TotalEnergies has slipped in recent years on the UCI Team Ranking. The French squad can forget about securing a WorldTour license for the 2026–2028 cycle, and they also seem unlikely to finish among the top two ProConti teams over the 2025–2027 period. As a result, their access to the biggest races from 2026 onward will depend on wildcard invitations.

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The French energy and petroleum company is currently the sponsor of the ProContinental team Team TotalEnergies, with a deal in place through the end of 2026. For that reason, the arrangement would likely be a merger, allowing Ratcliffe (who also owns Manchester United) to scale back his investments in the sport somewhat. No details have been disclosed, so it's unclear whether a potential merger between INEOS Grenadiers and TotalEnergies would continue under a British or French license.

INEOS and TotalEnergies already collaborate frequently outside of cycling. As a global producer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, and oil products, INEOS has long been under pressure from climate activists, and a deal with TotalEnergies won’t do much to improve that image. However, the partnership could help INEOS Grenadiers return to the top of the WorldTour, reminiscent of Team Sky’s golden era.

INEOS Grenadiers declined to comment on The Times’ report.