The Ineos – Grenadiers are set to bolster their staff for 2026 with the arrival of two well-known former pros. Elia Viviani and Daryl Impey will both join as directeurs sportifs.
Viviani comes after (quite literally) just retiring after an incredible career across road and track. His palmarès includes a Tour de France stage, almost a hundred pro wins, and Olympic and world titles on the boards. The Italian capped off his career with a rainbow jersey at the world championships, before officially retiring following the Ghent Six Day, something he called, “the perfect ending.”
Work begins now
Impey brings his own impressive résumé. The former South African champion made history in 2013 as the first African rider to pull on the Tour’s yellow jersey. He also added a stage victory in 2019. After retiring in 2023, he moved smoothly into the directeur sportif role. “It feels like coming home,” Viviani said. “I want to give everything I can to help the riders and pass on what I’ve learned. The team’s heading into a fresh chapter. And I’m excited to be part of it.”
Impey echoed the sentiment: “I’ve lined up against this team for years, and even shared jerseys with some of the staff earlier in my career. To now be working together feels right. I started out as a teammate of Geraint’s, so reconnecting in this way is pretty special. The team’s goals are clear, and joining was an easy call. I’m ready to get stuck in.”
Geraint Thomas’s goals for the team
The news comes just a day after it was announced Geraint Thomas will be director of racing, was stoked about the news: “Elia and Daryl bring exactly the kind of experience and leadership we value. They’ll add fresh insight to our established setup—something that’s crucial as we keep pushing ourselves to improve.”
The question is, will Ineos – Grenadiers be able to return to its glory days when the British team dominated the Grand Tours? Thomas thinks so. “This team has been my home since day one,” he said. “I want to keep pushing the team forward” to return to Grand Tour-winning form.
There is one rider who may or may not be on the market that Ineos – Grenadiers could always hire. It was recently announced that multiple Grand Tour winner Chris Froome’s contract won’t be renewed with Israel – Premier Tech–now N2N – Stoneweg. Froome rode with both Sky and Ineos, taking some of the…
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