Tour de France legends Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas are in shock after their Team Ineos sporting director Nico Portal died suddenly aged 40.
Frenchman Portal was a strategic architect of Froome's four Yellow Jerseys, Thomas riding to glory in 2018 and Egan Bernal's stunning triumph last year.
He collapsed and died at home in Andorra, from a suspected heart attack, and his sudden passing casts a huge shadow over the team's build-up to Le Tour starting on June 27 in Nice.
The dreadful news was confirmed by Team Ineos in a statement, saying: "It is with the greatest sadness that we announce the passing of our much loved team-mate, colleague and friend Nico Portal who died suddenly this afternoon at his home in Andorra.
“We are all overcome with grief at this terrible news and would ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy at this difficult time.
"RIP Nico - your spirit will always be with us on the road and you will forever be in our hearts."
Portal retired from professional racing 10 years ago, while he was riding for Team Sky, and immediately joined the backroom management staff.
He was the youngest sporting director in the peloton when Froome won the first of his Tour de France titles in 2013, and during his stint in the support vehicles Team Sky/Ineos won seven of the last eight Yellow Jerseys.
Portal missed most of the 2009 cycling season because of suspected problems with cardiac arrythmia.
