Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Grenadiers will start the 2024 Tour de France much as they have other recent Grand Tours: hoping for the best from their nominated team leaders, but ready to call for backup from Geraint Thomas and Tom Pidcock, if needed.
With the Giro d’Italia winner Tadej Pogacar seemingly in invincible form, the years have long gone when, as Team Sky, the British squad started the world’s biggest bike race as the team to beat.