Vauquelin sets sights on leadership role at Ineos after stunning Tour de France

After making another big step up with an impressive 2025 season, Kévin Vauquelin recently sealed his long-awaited move to the Ineos Grenadiers for 2026, in a move which he has described as a “logical choice” after his breakthrough 7th at the Tour de France this summer.  

"It's always been a dream team for me. I come from the track; we know how demanding the British are when it comes to performance, sometimes ahead of certain other nations," said Vauquelin in an interview with Eurosport. 

"It also allows me to step out of my comfort zone. I grew up with Arkéa; I had my 'family' there. I need to get away from all this and compete against even stronger and more experienced riders," said Vauquelin, who has been with the team as a trainee since 2020.

The 24-year-old has joined the British squad as "a leader, a rider who can influence the race," and believes his success this summer helped secure that status.

He also admitted that while his Tour performance has raised expectations, he remains committed to his attacking philosophy rather than becoming stuck as a rider who follows wheels. This is something which doesn’t come as a surprise, as the 24-year-old echoed a similar sentiment whilst the Tour was ongoing, insisting he races on instinct, a defining trait.

"I'm an offensive rider. I'm going to build the general classification with attacks," he explained. "I'd rather cross the line completely dead after trying than cross it after just following. I'll feel it instinctively. If I feel it's not for me, I won't do it. I'm not looking to please a crowd, but rather to show my character."

The Frenchman indicated his main ambition is to target one-week stage races, with Paris–Nice specifically mentioned as a goal. He believes Ineos’s time trial expertise, with riders like Filippo Ganna, will be an advantage in such events.

"My main goal is to win a one-week race. I think that's becoming more and more possible," he said. "In the event of a team time trial, being with Ineos Grenadiers, potentially with Filippo Ganna, Thymen Arensman, Magnus Sheffield, and their time trial expertise, is advantageous... even if it's going to hurt my legs."

His somewhat unexpected 7th place at the Tour de France this summer has nevertheless altered his career trajectory. What began as a mission for stage wins evolved into a consistent three-week performance that surprised even himself.

"I arrived at this Tour telling myself I was going to aim for a stage win," Vauquelin admitted. "I enjoyed that, and it led me to want to compete in the general classification, treating every stage as a one-day race."

When asked if the experience changed his Grand Tour ambitions, he said, "Yes, honestly, yes. I would have liked to be that way a long time ago, but I could never muster the confidence. This was unlocked thanks to my teammates and the Arkéa staff. I discovered myself sooner than expected, and now we have higher expectations."

While open to riding the Giro d’Italia or Vuelta a España, Vauquelin expressed a particular affection for cycling’s biggest race and his home Grand Tour. "I'm building a love affair with the Tour de France. It's the most famous race, the most important. So, why not try to fight for it this July instead?" Vauquelin concluded.