Sports Desk
LONDON: Team Ineos continued the rebuild of its squad in the wake of a disappointing Tour de France with young British prospect Tom Pidcock, Australian Richie Porte, Colombian Dani Martinez and Laurens de Plus all confirmed as new signings on Friday.
With Adam Yates having already agreed to join and four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome leaving, a new era beckons for the British outfit, formerly Team Sky, that has dominated the Tour de France for the past decade.
This year was only the second time in eight that a Team Sky/Ineos rider did not win the general classification as defending champion Egan Bernal blew out.
The signing of 21-year-old Yorkshireman Pidcock will give Ineos a potential Grand Tour leader in years to come while Porte, third at this year’s Tour riding for Trek-Segafredo, will return to work with Ineos Grenadiers bosas Dave Brailsford, having been a Sky rider from 2012-15.
“Riders are better prepared and teams more organised. The intensity of competition is increasing and it’s getting more difficult to win,” Brailsford said.
Brailsford said former cyclo-cross junior world champion Pidcock was one of a new breed of all-rounders.
