Tour de France 2024: Egan Bernal and Carlos Rodriguez lead Ineos Grenadiers, Geraint Thomas and Tom Pidcock also named
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Updated 25/06/2024 at 11:08 GMT
Egan Bernal and Carlos Rodriguez have been tasked with leading the Ineos Grenadiers team during this year's Tour de France, with Britain's Geraint Thomas, Tom Pidcock and Ben Turner also selected. Thomas will be lining up for his 13th Tour. Jumbo-Visma's Jonas Vingegaard is the defending champion. The Grand Depart takes place in Florence on June 29.
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Egan Bernal and Spanish rider Carlos Rodriguez will co-lead the Ineos Grenadiers team at this year’s Tour de France.
After being involved in a huge accident in 2022 which saw him break 20 bones and suffer two collapsed lungs, 2019 winner Bernal has continued his road back to the top of the sport in 2024, with a third-placed finish at Volta a Catalunya and fourth at the Tour de Suisse.
Bernal said on his selection: “It’s a big honour to be in the biggest race in the world and as with every year, we’ll fight for the best result possible.
“My ambition is to be really competitive and to be someone who can make a real difference in the race.”
Bernal will line up alongside Britain’s Geraint Thomas, who won the 2018 edition of the Tour and arrives on the back of a third-placed finish at the Giro d'Italia.
He will be starting his 13th Tour de France but it is the first time he will have done the Giro-Tour double.
“Obviously, it's a slight unknown how the body will respond given I haven’t had a season like this before, but I am feeling pretty fresh mentally and just looking forward to the Tour getting started now,” Thomas said.
Rodriguez, 23, is the youngest member of the squad and after impressing in last year’s edition of the Tour, his stock has continued to rise as a GC rider in 2024.
He took the overall win at the Tour de Romandie, second spot at the Tour of the Basque Country and a stage victory on his way to fourth position in the Criterium du Dauphine.
“I had a slower start to the year than I wanted but have turned that around and the legs are now feeling good, and my body is responding well,” Rodriguez said.
“I think that shows that the plan has worked, and we have done things in the right way and in the right order.
“The team has helped me a lot this year, looking at every aspect of my performance and going over every detail to help me improve.
“Now I am feeling ready and am really looking forward to the Tour starting. I have great memories from last year’s Tour de France, sharing some special moments with the team and my family so I hope this year will be even better.”
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Double Tour de France stage winner Michal Kwiatkowski has been selected, as well as British pair Tom Pidcock and Ben Turner.
Pidcock was a stage winner in 2022 and the multi-discipline rider will tackle the Tour during a season which saw him win the Amstel Gold race, and more recently land mountain bike success.
Also in the Ineos team are Spain’s six-time national time trial champion Jonathan Castroviejo and Belgian rider Laurens De Plus.
Speaking about the team selection, performance director Scott Drawer said: “After a strong and consistent season, Carlos will be leading the Ineos Grenadiers’ charge across France.
“Carlos has continued to impress us with his racing as well as his professionalism and attitude on and off the bike. Right beside him will be the strength and Tour experience of Egan, with Tom and Geraint providing support but also looking to race aggressively, disrupt and take the race to our competition.
“Laurens’ climbing ability will also be invaluable in the high mountains while Castro will bring his trademark selfless and steady presence to the team and will help to drive the pace.
"And with all his experience and Tour de France wins in his own right, Kwiato will provide insight, protection and look for opportunities on the flats and cross winds alongside Ben, a popular powerhouse of a rider.
“This exceptional group has real depth of experience and a broad range of skills, and their collective insight into what it takes to succeed in the Tour de France will prove invaluable over 21 gruelling stages with over 52,000 metres of elevation gain.”
The Grand Depart for this year’s Tour de France takes place in Florence on June 29, with the race ending in Nice on July 21.
Ineos Grenadiers line-up for Tour de France
- Egan Bernal (COL)
- Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP)
- Lauren De Plus (BEL)
- Michal Kwiatkowski (POL)
- Tom Pidcock (GBR)
- Carlos Rodriguez (ESP)
- Geraint Thomas (GBR)
- Ben Turner (GBR)
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