Team INEOS will not race again for at least two-and-a-half weeks but are confident the lack of racing will not derail their Grand Tour ambitions in 2020.
The team announced last night it was withdrawing from all racing as a response to the death of sporting director Nico Portal, who died from a heart attack at his home in Andorra on Tuesday afternoon, but also in response to the threat of the coronavirus.
It means they will be missing from the prestigious Milan-San Remo but also the stage races Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, habitually Grand Tour preparation races for the likes of Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal.
Of the decision, team boss Dave Brailsford said: “This pause will give us the time to grieve for Nico in private, to support each other at what is a very sad moment and to treasure the memory of a great and much loved teammate and friend.”
