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Thursday, July 3, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. - Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Upcoming racing:
- July 5 - 27: Tour de France
- July 9 - 13: Tour of Austria
Latest completed racing:
- June 21 - 29: Most national road championships
- June 24: Giro dell'Appennino
- June 15 - 22: Tour de Suisse
- June 18 - 22: Baloise Belgium Tour
- June 8 - 15: Critérium du Dauphiné
- June 13: GP Kanton Aargau
- June 8: Brussels Cycling Classic
- May 9 - June 1: Giro d'Italia
Here’s the team’s news:
Carlos Rodriguez will lead the INEOS Grenadiers’ eight-rider squad for the 112th edition of the Tour de France, which begins on Saturday, 5 July in Lille.
The exciting roster also features 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas who will be starting the 14th Tour of his career and his last before retiring at the end of the season.
The Grenadiers will be targeting stage victories and a strong general classification challenge across this year’s parcours, which features six high mountain stages and two individual time trials.
Carlos Rodriguez heads to the start of stage two of the 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné. Sirotti photo
Dr. Scott Drawer, Performance Director, said: “We've selected a strong and experienced group of riders with the collective knowledge of how best to compete over three weeks, racing against the toughest competition in our sport. Carlos will be our leader, given his consistent climbing performances and his unwavering drive and resilience. He has been focussed on building towards the Tour all year and he is coming into the race in good form.
“Supporting Carlos is a group that's ridden multiple Tour de France editions and have the experience to handle whatever the race throws at us. Geraint, as a previous winner, with all his knowledge and his cool, calm head will be critical support to Carlos and the whole team, both on and off the bike.
“It’s going to be a very special edition of the Tour, with every single one of the 3338.8 kms battled out across French soil. As a team, we have been racing this season in the way we love - aggressively and with freedom and flair - and we are ready to bring more of the same to the biggest race of the year.”
Carlos Rodriguez said: “It was a bit of a tough start to the season with the crash in February, but I recovered pretty quickly and have been building back ever since. The goal was always to line up at the Tour in July in my best form. Everything so far has gone to plan. I have managed to prepare well with some high-quality training and I have some good racing in the legs.
“Of course, it’s going to be a tough race against the best in the world but we will be coming out fighting and aim to be right up there at the front. It’s going to be an epic race and a real spectacle for the fans.”
Geraint Thomas said: “I’m really looking forward to my final Tour de France. It’ll be my 14th, which sounds mad, I never thought that when I first lined up for it back in 2007, I’d still be going. I’ve certainly had my ups and downs but it’s an amazing race; the biggest and best in the world, and my favourite.
“It’s never straightforward and always super-hard, but this year my approach will be as it always is - to give everything out on the road for the team to be as successful as possible. We’ll all have important roles to play and I will definitely be playing mine.
“I just can’t wait to get to Lille and into the spirit of what’s always a rollercoaster of an event. A three-week all-inclusive bike holiday around France, what’s not to like?!”
The Grenadiers line up:
Thymen Arensman (25), Netherlands - with his climbing prowess and time trial skills, Arensman adds real strength and depth to the roster and will be invaluable support in the high mountains.
Tobias Foss (27), Norway - the time trial specialist and stage rider has delivered consistent and strong performances throughout the season and will be playing a pivotal and versatile support role while looking to create and take any opportunities.
Filippo Ganna (28), Italy - the powerhouse rider and time trial specialist has shown his form this season with a TT win and 2nd overall at Tirreno-Adriatico as well an impressive second at Milano-Sanremo where he narrowly missed out on victory to Mathieu van der Poel and beat Tadej Pogačar in an epic three-way sprint finish.
Axel Laurance (24), France - the young French rider will be starting in his first Tour de France for the Grenadiers and will be looking for opportunities for stage wins as well as supporting the team’s GC ambitions.
Carlos Rodriguez (24) Spain - the team’s leader is lining up for his third Tour de France following his seventh GC place in 2024. The young Spaniard bounced back quickly from his collarbone fracture in February and has been building his form and putting in solid performances, ready to be at his peak for the Tour.
Connor Swift (29), Great Britain - the strong all-rounder is starting his 4th Tour de France and will be a solid support rider, providing versatility and strength in key moments.
Geraint Thomas (39), Great Britain - Previous Tour winner, G is lining up for his 14th Tour de France for the team. Following a crash in the Tour de Suisse, G has recovered in time to start in Lille and will be looking to make a mark on his last appearance at the race.
Sam Watson (23), Great Britain - The young British racer is coming in hot off his convincing win at the British Nationals Road Race at the weekend - his fourth win this season. Lining up for his first Tour de France, Watson has had a packed and consistent season including a busy Classics campaign that saw him play a key role for the team.
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Here’s the team’s news:
For the Tour de France, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe and Specialized have unveiled a limited-edition kit inspired by the Tricolore and legendary World Cup jerseys. It’s a tribute to the Tour de France.
For the first time in years, every stage of the Tour de France will take place entirely within France. The country has played a special role in the team’s history. Just a few kilometers from Rouen – the finish town of stage 4 – the team celebrated its very first victory back in 2010. Fifteen years ago, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe won its first race on French soil; now it returns with a special tribute for French fans on the world’s biggest stage.
The Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe 2025 TDF jersey.
The limited collection of Specialized Race apparel is a tribute to the country, the fans, and the legendary roads that make the Tour de France the ultimate race in cycling. The blue, white and red stripes echo the French flag, capturing the race’s speed and spirit, while the gradient design is inspired by France’s diverse landscapes – from the cobbled streets of the north to the Alps and the vibrant finish in Paris.
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Here’s the team’s post:
Remco Evenepoel, Tim Merlier, and Tom Boonen were all present at our final outing before traveling to the start of the Grande Boucle.
Renson’s NOA Outdoor Living hosted Soudal Quick-Step’s pre-Tour de France media day. Mattia Cattaneo, Pascal Eenkhoorn, Remco Evenepoel, Tim Merlier, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Maximilian Schachmann, Bert Van Lerberghe and Ilan Van Wilder – the eight riders who will sport the team’s colors on the biggest race in the world – outlined the Wolfpack’s goals and their hopes for the race taking place between 5-27 July.
“It’s difficult to say if I have managed to close the gap to the two guys who finished ahead of me in the general classification of last year’s Tour. I think we’ll see this on the road, where we’ll take it stage by stage. We expect a hectic first week, very tricky and completely different from the previous edition. I can’t say I’m looking forward to it, but we’ll try to survive and hopefully we’ll make it out of it without any injuries. I will just do my best and see where we will be GC wise on the first rest day”, Remco said during Wednesday’s event.
Tom Boonen with the current Soudal Quick-Step team.
The fastest man in the sport, winner of ten races this year alone, Tim Merlier will try to carry the good form he has displayed since the start of the season into the Tour, where he returns for the first time since making his debut, four years ago: “The first day will be a very important one for all the sprinters in the race, because it’s a big opportunity to take the yellow jersey. There are a lot of strong sprinters at the start, but we don’t lack the confidence and motivation to go for stage wins. We know there will be opportunities and we’ll try to make the most out of them.”
The event also featured a special moment and a special guest. Tom Boonen – a six-time Tour de France stage victor and winner of the coveted green jersey in 2007 – attended the presentation at Renson’s NOA, where he presented Remco Evenepoel with a unique Specialized bike to mark our squad’s 1000 victories – a fantastic milestone we reached just a few weeks ago.
A cobbled classics legend, winner of Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix a combined total of seven times, World Champion in 2005, and a man who is synonymous with the team’s blue livery, Boonen played a huge part in the team’s history, over the course of his 16-year-career scoring a staggering 120 victories.
“I’m very proud to have been part of this team’s history and to have brought all those victories. Of all those wins, a team one stands out after all these years, the first edition of the World TTT Championships in Valkenburg. It was an amazing team effort and a special day for me, which counts more than any individual victory”, said Tom, who also received a Specialized bike to honor his extraordinary achievements with Soudal Quick-Step.
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Here’s the team’s update:
Frederik Frison will represent the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team in 2026. The 32-year-old from Geel, Belgium had a stellar Classics season in 2023 with fourth places in Gent-Wevelgem and De Panne but missed out on his favorite races in the last years.
He hopes to put all the bad luck behind him now and become a factor to be reckoned with in the Spring Classics again.
Frederik Frison in 2021 when he raced for Lotto-Soudal.
“My first year with the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team was a deception for myself because I hardly managed to show myself [due to the accident with a dog]. This season was also up and down with injury and illness but despite all that the team trusted me. They had and have full confidence in me. They have always supported me 100%, stayed in contact while I recovered at home and that is one of the things that makes this team so special.
“After all the hard work coming back after injury and illness this contract extension for 2026 really feels great. For this year and the year to come I hope to show what I can do and be my best self again to support our team leaders. I am extra motivated for the next races to say thank you for the confidence put in me.”
General manager Doug Ryder had no doubts keeping Frison on the team.
“Fred hasn’t had a Classics season in two years but we extended his contract nonetheless. That says something about how we see him. Frederik is stable, solid and reliable. He is just the nicest human being and is the perfect rider to have on any team. We keep seeing his potential despite the fact the last two seasons so far were hampered by injury and bad luck.
It’s all about the values he brings as a person. He is in the right position at the right time in the races but he is also very appreciative of staff members and everything they do. As a mentor for other riders he is exemplary. He has a calming effect in and outside the peloton and doesn’t stress. Nothing is insurmountable for Fred. I am happy he stays with us: as a rider and as a human being.”
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