Geraint Thomas will lead Ineos Grenadiers in 2021 Tour de France

Geraint Thomas will direct the Ineos Grenadiers lineup at this year’s Tour de France, supported by the Giro d’Italia champion, Tao Geoghegan Hart, and the 2019 Giro champion, Richard Carapaz, according to the crew principal, Dave Brailsford.

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This year’s Tour route is “really suited to Geraint’s attributes,” Brailsford said, of the 2018 Tour winner, who will be 35 this yr and is in conversations with the group about a new deal.

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“He is very determined for it. Supplied the time-trialling, the mother nature of the climbing, the 1st week and the cross winds, that factor lends alone very well to his competencies and attributes. On paper it’s a terrific Tour for Geraint.”

The 2019 Tour champion, Egan Bernal, who has spent substantially of this winter season in rehabilitation for the back again injury that compelled him out of his title defence, produced his return to racing in the south of France on Wednesday, and Brailsford mentioned the Giro will be the Colombian’s first target.

“He expended time in Italy as a younger rider, he was in an Italian staff, he has solid connections in Italy and he actually would like to compete for all three Grand Excursions and not just fall into the entice of undertaking the Tour each and every 12 months. I would not rule out Egan doubling up into the Tour, that is very doable. But we’ll assess that one as we get nearer.”

© Photograph: Sylvain Thomas/AFP/Getty Images
Geraint Thomas, the winner of the 2018 Tour de France, is in talks with Ineos Grenadiers more than a new agreement.

Geoghegan Hart, the surprise winner in Milan past autumn, will aim on the Tour. “He could have long gone back again to Italy and there was a good deal of chat about him heading back to defend his Giro title,” Brailsford explained. “On the other hand, he could action up and target on seeking to experience the Tour. In conditions of his development and enhancement, it felt like using the Tour was the subsequent action.”

“It is a wonderful option for him. He had a wonderful journey, unbelievable experience and an inspiring expertise for all of us who were being in and all over that. It feels like he can have on that adventure, phase up whilst he is in these types of a wonderful put. Go and just take on a new obstacle, a diverse problem, and see how we can get on.”

New recruit Adam Yates will concentrate on the Vuelta a España, although Brailsford claimed the 21-year-outdated Tom Pidcock will be predicted to study how to “life the everyday living of an elite rider.”