Ineos 'held to different standard than other teams' - Geraint Thomas on Rozman case

The recently retired Geraint Thomas has said that the Ineos Grenadiers didn’t handle the recent controversy surrounding their head soigneur, David Rozman, who ended up leaving the Tour de France squad mid-way through the race this July.

"It wasn't great, the way the team dealt with it," Thomas said of the Rozman controversy in a recent interview with theGuardian. "But it's a tough one if you get a doctor that's been in cycling for a while."

Rozman left this year's Tour de France after the International Testing Agency (ITA) launched an investigation into alleged messages he exchanged in 2012 with Mark Schmidt, who was later convicted following Operation Aderlass. Schmidt was the central figure in a blood-doping ring exposed in 2019.

Thomas, who spent 16 years with the team formerly known as Sky, claimed he "wasn't surprised" about Rozman's connection to Schmidt but questioned the public nature of the investigation.

The 2018 Tour de France champion suggested the British team faces more scrutiny than their competitors. "I think if you looked at other teams as intensely, then there would be lots of questions about them. It shows we're held to a different standard than a lot of other teams," he said.

Ineos Grenadiers confirmed during the Tour that Rozman had stepped away from his duties after receiving a formal interview request from the ITA. The team stated that Rozman had previously been approached "informally" by the ITA in April regarding "alleged historical communications."

"Following recent media allegations, David Rozman has now received a request from the ITA to attend an interview. Accordingly, he has stepped back from race duties and has left the Tour," Ineos said in a statement at the time.

The investigation stemmed from text messages between Rozman and Schmidt during the 2012 Tour de France, revealed in the German documentary 'In the Slipstream' broadcast on ARD. That year, Team Sky finished first and second overall with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.

Despite the ongoing investigation, Thomas believes riders must focus on their own responsibilities. "It's been tough, all these things happening over the years with the team," Thomas said. "But, as a rider, all you can do is worry about yourself and the next race."