Thomas and rebranded Ineos team face some harsh truths in wake of Tour de France misery
29 Jul 2026 - The Guardian Jeremy Whittle Crashes, punctures and injuries ensured the 2026 Tour de France campaign was one of the worst for the beleaguered Netcompany Ineos team . From the first stage, when Dave Brailsford ’s team came close to winning the team time trial in Montjuic, the 2026 Tour was, in the words of their director of racing, Geraint Thomas , “tough going”. Thomas, who has taken Brailsford’s place as the team’s frontman, said: “I’m happy to not be racing any more, because I suffered way too much. But it’s good to still be involved.” It was a baptism of fire for Thomas in his first Tour managing his riders, as he had to hastily reimagine his lineup after Oscar Onley , the leader, was ruled out by injury. That led to a rapid realignment of the team’s goals. The optimism fuelled by Ineos’s acquisition of Onley, who finished fourth overall in 2025 , and the arrival of a new co-sponsor, Netcompany, has dissipated quickly. The Scot was injured in June and forced to miss th...