Geraint Thomas is trading race numbers for notebooks. INEOS Grenadiers confirmed Thursday that the longtime team leader is moving upstairs as the squad’s new director of racing, a position created as the British outfit reshapes its structure heading into 2026.
Thomas, 38, has been with the team since its launch in 2010 (Sky) and said the move felt like a “natural next step” after more than 20 years of racing at the highest level. “This team has been my home since day one,” he said. Thomas added that he wants to help guide younger riders and “keep pushing the team forward” in its bid to return to Grand Tour-winning form.
A long career
The Welshman’s palmarès is impressive. A Tour de France victory in 2018, multiple Grand Tour podiums, a cabinet full of stage-race trophies, and two Olympic titles from his Team GB days. INEOS is banking on that wealth of experience as he shifts into a role that will influence race strategy, recruitment and rider development. Thomas will work closely with senior figures including Sir Dave Brailsford and Scott Drawer.
Brailsford called Thomas the embodiment of the Grenadiers ethos. “He has lived and breathed elite performance throughout his career,” Brailsford said. He also admires Thomas’s ability to handle both the highs and lows of the sport — and pointing to his trademark sense of humour as a surprisingly useful asset in leadership.
For Thomas, the job is less about nostalgia and more about shaping what comes next. “I’m passionate about helping the next generation come through,” he said. “The Grenadiers will continue to race with purpose, humility and a commitment to excellence. And I’m excited to help shape that future.”
Geraint Thomas’s Giro hotel toilet shows the unglamorous side of pro cycling
Thomas had a relatively quiet final year as a pro, wrapping it up at the Tour of Britain. In 2024, however, he had a strong ride at the Giro d’Italia, finishing an impressive third overall. He also showed his cheeky sense of humour when speaking of Simon Yates ride away from the pink jersey, Isaac del Toro and go on to win.
“Do you need experience to realize that the third place is pulling away? And that, if you stop pedaling, it’s going to take time out of you? I mean, dude, my son Macs would know. And he’s 5 years old,” he said on his podcast, Watts Occuring.
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