Ineos Grenadiers in full flight. Photo courtesy of the team.
Hi Subscribers,
Back in July, I wrote a story confirming that Ineos Grenadiers would have a U23 team in 2026. Since then, there has been complete radio silence from the team on the subject. Performance Director Scott Drawer hinted that he would discuss the project at the Tour de France, but on each of the race’s rest days, the team remained tight-lipped.
Part of that was because Dave Brailsford had recently returned from a disappointing spell at Manchester United. Once he came back, he assumed control of transfer activities and team management. He expected oversight in every aspect and decision relating to the team.
However, the lack of information from Ineos also stems from the fact that wheels within the organisation turn incredibly slowly compared to those of other teams.
For example, compare and contrast the U23 team at Ineos with Movistar’s similar project. The Spanish team received the green light for their team about 12 weeks ago, and their roster is already full, according to reports. Ineos has been contemplating the idea of a U23 team for years, and I can confirm that, although seven riders are on their current roster plans, official contracts have still not been dispatched or signed. From what I’ve gathered, the team is 100% going ahead, with Drawer and Simon Watts, the team’s Performance Pathway Manager, both leading the project.
In this story, we’ll look at the confirmed riders from the UK and France that I know are heading to the team, along with a short list of about 6-7 riders who I’ve discovered are on the team’s long list and are competing for the final spots.
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We’ll also confirm what’s happening with Ineos’ partnerships with the Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team and Team Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank for next season.
Let’s go!