Team Ineos has sprung something of a surprise with its Grand Tour plans for the 2021 season. Photo: ASO/Alex Broadway
Team Ineos has sprung something of a surprise with its Grand Tour plans for the 2021 season.
The WorldTour team has confirmed that Welshman Geraint Thomas will lead their Tour de France charge, while Colombian Egan Bernal will front their assault on the Giro d’Italia’s maglia rosa.
Thomas (2018) and Bernal (2019) are both former Tour de France winners.
As it currently stands, the 2021 Giro will take place from May 8 to 30, while the Tour de France is scheduled for June 26 to July 18.
According to the Guardian website, Thomas will have a star-studded support cast in reigning Giro champion Tao Geoghegan Hart, Richard Carapaz and Richie Porte, while Bernal will count on Pavel Sivakov and Dani Martinez as his lieutenants.
Ineos team principal Dave Brailsford didn’t rule out a possible Giro-Tour double for Bernal depending on his form coming out of the Italian grand tour.
Bernal headed into last year’s Tour de France not only as the defending champion, but the favourite for the yellow jersey.
However, a crash and a resultant back injury saw him pull out of the race ahead of stage 17.
Thomas and Bernal are both competing at this week’s Etoile de Besseges five-stage race in southern France.
Meanwhile, Adam Yates, another big name off-season Ineos signing, will concentrate his efforts on the Vuelta a Espana from August 14 to September 5.
