Ineos Grenadiers seal Sam Welsford signing - 'Plenty to unlock'

Ineos Grenadiers have confirmed the signing of Sam Welsford ahead of the 2026 season in what is a key addition to the British team's sprinting ranks.

The 29-year-old has spent the past two seasons with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, where he won seven professional races. Now, Welsford will pin on the jersey of the British team after signing a deal which runs through until the end of 2027. 

The Australian sprinter had been linked with a move to the British team for some months, with reports back in June even suggesting that this transfer was on the table. Things became clearer in recent weeks when it was reported last week that Welsford was in attendance at the Ineos training camp in Spain alongside fellow Australian Jack Haig, who has also signed for 2026.

“I’m really excited to become a Grenadier. I’ve always admired the team’s professionalism and the way they commit fully to a goal,” said Welsford.

Welsford has earned himself the reputation of being a prolific winner in recent seasons at his home race, the Santos Tour Down Under, where he has won three stages in each of the last two editions of the race.

“I feel like this is the exact right environment for me to keep progressing as a sprinter and to chase big results. I’m very hungry to contribute, to learn and to race with the kind of intent that this team is renowned for,” added Welsford.

This is the second consecutive year that Ineos have looked to strengthen its sprint department with the arrival of an Australian fastman. Last year, it was the pocket rocket Caleb Ewan who made the switch and won twice in eight race days before deciding to hang up his wheels in May.

One sprinter who made his mark with the British team over the years is the recently retired Elia Viviani, who returns to Ineos as a Sports Director for 2026. Welsford will work together with the Italian alongside the team’s wider performance group, and he will be hoping he can make a similar impact to what the Italian did.

Geraint Thomas, Director of Racing at Ineos Grenadiers, welcomed the arrival of Welsford, noting the quality of quantity aspect when it comes to sprinters at the team. “We haven’t had many sprinters in the team in the past, but when we have, they’ve been pretty successful, so hopefully Sam can continue that history.”

“Having been given an early insight into what he’s capable of physically, we believe there’s still plenty to unlock with Sam. The team has shown how dialled we are in positioning our fast guys for the finish, and we’ll do the same to give him opportunities to win,” added Thomas.

Welsford is the sixth confirmed arrival for the Ineos Grenadiers alongside fellow Australian Haig, though he may not be the last, with plenty of speculation surrounding the future of Oscar Onley, who finished 4th at the Tour de France in the summer. Watch this space…