When Team Sky were launched in London a decade ago, Tao Geoghegan Hart bunked off from school to watch Chris Froome being unveiled in the team’s colours.
Ten years on, the Hackney-born rider finds himself in the unlikely position of leading the outfit — rebranded as Team Ineos — in only his second Grand Tour, the Giro d’Italia, starting on Saturday.
Hart has been promoted after Egan Bernal broke his collarbone at the weekend, leaving him and Pavel Sivakov, who will share leadership duties, as the team’s focal points for the three-week race.
“It’s been a turbulent few days,” said Hart. “Before, I was in a support role, but I’ll take this on, embrace it and see what happens.”
The 24-year-old enjoyed the novel experience last month of Froome acting as his super domestique (the top rider’s right-hand man) for two stage wins at the Tour of the Alps.
“He’s our leader and probably the most highly decorated rider in the sport right now,” said Hart. “It was my first race with him and that was a huge opportunity. It was worth bunking off school that day, wasn’t it?”
