Tour de France 2020 - 'Not all is well at dysfunctional Ineos' - Wiggins

ByDan Quarrell

Updated 17/09/2020 at 09:31 GMT

In the latest episode of his podcast, Bradley Wiggins wonders what is up with Ineos at the moment. Has Dave Brailsford lost control? The 2012 Tour de France champion believes they must be dysfunctional at the moment with Egan Bernal's struggles and Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome omitted.

Bradley Wiggins, speaking on the latest episode of his podcast, believes that clearly all is not well at Ineos.

Ineos have endured a torrid Tour de France with defending champion Egan Bernal having dropped out through multiple injuries after struggling badly to contend.

Wiggins admitted he didn't realise how bad things must have been for Bernal and for Ineos, and believes there must be real dysfunction at the team with former Tour winners Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome not even at the flagship event.

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"As much as he fell out of the GC, I don't think anyone saw that coming. I don't think we realised just how bad it was until the statement from Dave [Brailsford]," Wiggins said on the podcast.

"I talk about the brutality of elite sport, it's a bit late to be caring about someone's welfare and taking them out of the race now with his bad back. The damage has been done.

"It just shows you how they push the boundaries. That is not a criticism of Dave and the team; that is just elite sport.

I sense all is not well there. That's the trouble when you have all these high flyers on big wages and big hitters, you've got to spread your assets over the season.

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Wiggins analysis - What now for Ineos after Bernal abandons Tour de France?

"It shows you, all is not well in that team," Wiggins continued. "They backed Bernal because he is their youngest asset. The others are dwindling a bit, age is not on their side.

It just shows how cut-throat it is, doesn't it, if you can get rid of a four-time winner [Froome] and Geraint, who was a flagship for that team.

"They left it too late with Bernal. Clearly his back is not very well and his knee is done. That is elite sport. I don't know what has gone so seriously wrong.

"Isn't this the team that goes out and replaces people? There seems to be some serious dysfunction there."

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