‘The Godfather’ of Ineos Grenadiers, Sir Dave Brailsford, is still in charge, according to the new chief executive

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John Allert, the new head of Ineos Grenadiers, asserts that Sir Dave Brailsford remains “the Godfather” of the team despite stepping down as the team principal. Brailsford, who has overseen the team since its inception as Team Sky in 2010, is set to join the football board at Manchester United following Ineos Group’s acquisition of a 25% stake in the club. Allert acknowledges Brailsford as the team’s founder, emphasizing that having him accessible is a privilege. While Brailsford’s primary focus is on the performance of various sports teams, including cycling, Allert mentions that Brailsford may still appear at races to support the team rather than to evaluate their performance.

Under Brailsford’s leadership, both the Sky and Ineos teams achieved significant success, securing seven Tour de France titles, three Giro d’Italia victories, and two Vuelta a Espana triumphs. However, his tenure was not without controversy.

In August of the previous year, Richard Freeman, the former chief medic for British Cycling and Team Sky, received a four-year ban from all sports for violating anti-doping regulations. In 2018, Brailsford appeared before a parliamentary committee to address inquiries regarding a mysterious “jiffy bag” that Freeman had arranged to be delivered to Sir Bradley Wiggins before a 2011 race. Allegations suggested it contained the prohibited anti-inflammatory drug triamcinolone.

Brailsford and Freeman maintained that the bag contained legal flu medication. Ultimately, a parliamentary committee could not determine the bag’s contents, but MPs accused Team Sky of “crossing an ethical line” in its use of therapeutic use exemptions more broadly.

Throughout, Brailsford, British Cycling, Team Sky, and Team Ineos consistently denied any wrongdoing.

While Ineos has diversified its sporting investments into football, Formula 1, sailing, and rugby, their involvement with Manchester United stands out as their most prominent project during a period of notable changes for their cycling team.

The shift in leadership, marked by Brailsford stepping back from day-to-day operations and his deputy, Rod Ellingworth, resigning over the winter, coincides with a new performance director, Scott Drawer, and the appointment of former rider Steve Cummings as director of racing. In recent seasons, Ineos has faced challenges from their rivals, and they are no longer the dominant force in the peloton.

Despite these changes, John Allert, who has been promoted from managing director, emphasized that he never felt the need to seek reassurances from Ineos ownership, particularly Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Allert dismissed speculation about a significant reduction in their budget, noting that cycling remains crucial to Ineos as a cultural and personal interest for its owners. While acknowledging the team’s transition from being the hunted to the hunter, Allert expressed optimism about the exciting rider group and the positive start to the season.