What is Sir Dave Brailsford doing at the Tour de France?

New York Times

6 days ago

INEOS Grenadiers are unique amongst teams at this year's Tour de France for their uniformity. Riders aside, every staff member wears the same Adidas performance T-shirt: mechanics, coaches, soigneurs. Most are in mirrored sunglasses.
There has always been a certain impregnability to INEOS, formerly known as Team Sky between 2010 and 2019, and their homogenous appearance only adds to that impression. But uniforms also offer anonymity.
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The routine outside the INEOS bus is the same each morning. The bikes are laid out, a retaining barrier is put up, and the team's directeur sportifs stand outside as their riders head to sign on. Typically, this is a time for paddock chatter — the media are allowed to ask questions, staff members cross between buses, everybody shelters from the midday sun.
But it is not until this period is almost over that Sir Dave Brailsford slips out from the door of the INEOS vehicle, and stands with arms folded, chatting to the other senior members of his team. He has not spoken publicly since arriving at the race.
This all begs the question — what exactly is Brailsford's role at the Tour de France?
It has only been just over a month since Brailsford stepped back from his day-to-day role at Manchester United. There, he was responsible for the 'Mission 21' plan to deliver a 21st league title, across the training ground refurbishment, and was involved in key personnel appointments.
In part, this was due to Jason Wilcox's promotion to director of football, which was part of a major structural reshuffle which has also fallen under Brailsford's remit. He still retains his place on the board, and is still expected to input on performance matters.
Manchester United has been a difficult job, and in many ways, cycling has always been Brailsford's safe space. He had massive success with the Great Britain Olympic cycling programme, while Team Sky/INEOS won seven of the eight Tour de France titles between 2012 and 2019 with Bradley Wiggins (x1), Chris Froome (x4), Geraint Thomas (x1), and Egan Bernal (x1).
However, Brailsford officially stepped down as INEOS' team principal in January 2024 — though he had not been running the operation daily for some time — instead taking on a more senior cross-sport role with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS. It was Brailsford who had convinced Ratcliffe to fund the team in 2019, after Sky's sponsorship ended following an era that included the UK's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee producing a report that said Wiggins and the Sky team had crossed an ethical line.
They say never go back, but Brailsford has been in France since the Grand Depart in Lille. His task at INEOS is not unlike his mission at Manchester United: to restore success to the dominant force of a previous generation.
INEOS were the last team to announce their squad before the race, and having come back into the fold less than a month before the race, it is understood that Brailsford played a key role in the make-up of the eight-man squad.
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Whilst in many ways, Brailsford's responsibilities here have been described by some around the team as an 'audit' of what processes are working and which are not, there is an extra element to his role: he is at the Tour de France to make decisions.
The exact reason for his presence, however, is remaining under wraps. Brailsford has not spoken to the media since returning to the team, feeling that now is not the time to speak, having been away from the sport for an extended period of time, and knowing the attention which any public pronouncements usually provide.
Ratcliffe has a close relationship with the retiring Geraint Thomas, with the 39-year-old Welshman often directly contacted on strategic issues by the INEOS boss. Expected to be offered a role at the team next season, part of Brailsford's role appears to be to prepare the former Tour winner for management.
The last four seasons have been a struggle for INEOS, who have failed to win a Grand Tour since winning the 2020 Giro d'Italia with Tao Geoghegan Hart. Their only other significant victories have come in the spring classics with double Olympic gold medallist Tom Pidcock, who nonetheless sought an exit from the team last winter to join ProTour squad Q36.5.
Though INEOS received plaudits for their tactical bravery at the start of the 2025 season, victories have failed to follow. This Tour de France has been a continuation of that trend. They have not won a stage, with their best result so far a second-place by Thymen Arensman on stage 10, won by Visma Lease-a-Bike's Simon Yates.
Their highest rider in the general classification standings is Spanish climber Carlos Rodriguez, who sits 12th, 20 minutes and 44 seconds behind leader Tadej Pogacar.
Initially, Thursday's stage 12 had appeared a tactical masterstroke from INEOS and Brailsford, as the peloton split almost in half with five INEOS riders, including Rodriguez, in the leading group. It looked like a real opportunity to gain back time on GC. Instead, Rodriguez faded badly.
'What started as an ideal and promising situation ended up as one of my worst days on the bike,' Rodriguez posted on social media afterwards. The 24-year-old appears to have regressed, at least compared to his competitors, since his fifth-place finish in the 2023 Tour.
One key element in INEOS' underperformance over recent seasons — despite possessing a budget in the peloton's top five — is their lack of a true GC contender. The team had targeted Soudal Quick-Step's Remco Evenepoel, but the Belgian now appears destined to join Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe from next season on a long-term deal.
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On his excursions from the team bus, one notable activity Brailsford has been up to is engaging in conversations with several high-profile rider agents in the paddock. There is major groundwork to be done before INEOS begin to regain their competitiveness in Grand Tours.
But what may prove the most damaging episode of this Tour is the reports in the Irish and German press this month. These stories concern a longtime Team Sky staff member, who, during the 2012 Tour, allegedly swapped messages with Mark Schmidt, a doctor imprisoned for his participation in the Aderlass doping ring.
According to German broadcaster ARD, one text read: 'Do you still have any of the stuff that Milram used during the races? If so, can you bring it for the boys?' Another allegedly invites Schmidt to visit the Team Sky hotel for a beer the night before a key mountain stage up Planche des Belles Filles.
Asked by a group of journalists about the reports on Monday, Brailsford refused to comment. Cycling website Escape Collective later reported that following the exchange, he stormed back into the INEOS bus, shouting back at the group of journalists: 'F***ing hell guys, come on.'
On Thursday, INEOS released a statement. 'INEOS Grenadiers Cycling Team is aware of recent media allegations relating to the 2012 season and a member of its staff,' it read.
'These allegations have not to date been presented to the team by any appropriate authority, however the team has made a formal request to the International Testing Agency (ITA) to request any information it considers relevant.
'The team reiterates its policy of zero tolerance to any breach of the applicable WADA codes, historic or current.'