Race news

Geraint Thomas confirmed in Ineos Tour de France team after injury

The 2018 winner will line up for his 14th and final Tour de France on Saturday after recovering from the injury that forced him to abandon the Tour de Suisse. Thomas will be joined in the Ineos Grenadiers line-up by Carlos Rodríguez and Filippo Ganna.

July 2 2025 - 4:15 PM

Cor Vos

Ineos Grenadiers became the 23rd and final team to announce their Tour de France team on Wednesday. The delay in the team announcement had heightened concern that Thomas might miss out on the Tour in his final season as a professional, but the Welshman has been confirmed in the line-up.

Thomas suffered a knee injury in a low-speed crash during the Tour de Suisse and Ineos withdrew him the following day as a precaution. He resumed full training within a week, however, and signalled confidence that he would make the Tour.

Carlos Rodríguez will again lead Ineos’ GC aspirations after placing fifth on his debut in 2023 and seventh overall a year ago. The Spaniard placed ninth at the recent Critérium du Dauphiné.

Filippo Ganna returns to the Tour for only his second appearance in the race after his debut in 2022, and he will target victory in the Caen time trial in the opening week.

Newly-crowned British road champion Sam Watson is a surprise addition to the line-up. Thymen Arensman rides the Tour after his participation at the Giro d’Italia in May, while Connor Swift, Tobias Foss and Axel Laurance complete the eight-man team.

Ben Swift was expected to line up as Ineos' road captain, but he misses out on the Tour following his crash at the British Championships, while Laurens De Plus is also an absentee after abandoning the Tour de Suisse.

“I’m really looking forward to my final Tour de France,” Thomas said in a statement released by the team. “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.

“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?!”

Thomas won the Tour in 2018 and placed third overall in 2022, which was Ineos’ last podium finish at the race. This time out, the Welshman will line up in support of Carlos Rodríguez, though the Spaniard endured a difficult start to 2025 after sustaining a broken collarbone at the UAE Tour in February.

“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,” Rodríguez said. “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.”