INEOS Grenadiers' 2026 Tour de France campaign ends without victory, says Geraint Thomas

INEOS Grenadiers failed to secure a stage win, an individual podium, or a top‑19 overall placing at the 2026 Tour de France. The British squad finished second in the opening team time trial, with Filippo Ganna’s fifth place on stage 9 as the best individual result and Egan Bernal finishing 20th overall. Team leader Oscar Onley missed the race after a crash, Carlos Rodriguez was sidelined for a "reset", and Kevin Vauquelin struggled with form, leaving the team without its planned three‑leader strategy.

Former Tour winner Geraint Thomas, now a commentator, described the outcome on the Watts Occurring podcast: "We wanted to win the team time trial and we wanted to win another stage… professional sport is about winning and we didn’t. There’s no dressing that up." Thomas, a two‑time Olympic gold medallist and the first Welsh rider to win the Tour, retired in September 2025 after a distinguished career spanning track and road disciplines.

The season had otherwise been strong for INEOS, with victories in early races and solid performances at the Giro d’Italia, but the Tour result highlighted the impact of injuries and disrupted preparation on the team's Grand Tour ambitions.