Ineos Grenadiers say they are ready to go on the attack and commit to "offensive racing" in the coming days at the Tour de France in order to bounce back from a tough opening three days.
The mood around the team bus on the morning of the first stage in Lille was one of optimism and new found belief, with many citing the return of the team's figurehead and lynchpin, Sir Dave Brailsford, as the reason for the upturn in positivity. But, just a few hours later, the British squad was left reeling after being forced to pull Filippo Ganna from the action after the Italian went down in a small crash which left him with a concussion.
Carlos Rodríguez and Geraint Thomas, who is due to retire at the end of the year, also both lost time in the first two stages, forcing the team and Brailsford back to the drawing board in order to recalibrate their goals ahead of the “Ardennes classic” style stage four, and individual time trial in Caen a day later.
After a tough 48 hours, DS Zak Dempster told Cycling Weekly in Boulogne-sur-Mer on Sunday evening that the team's initial plan was to now get ahead of the action, and target a stage win, or more, before the first week wraps up in Toulouse. The Australian said the team remained full of belief and would commit to getting into breakaways and going on the attack with the flat stage into Dunkerque out of the way.
"We lost a little bit of time in both of the first two finals, it's not big big time, but it's time," he said. "We've now got to prioritise trying to get a stage win but also protecting the GC guys to still keep that dream alive. We had Sam [Watson] up there in that group on stage one but we missed it with Geraint and Carlos which wasn't ideal, but at the same time it's about continuing to try and hit those key points a lot better."
"Obviously we were protecting Pippo [Ganna] for the first four days, but the Tour de France doesn't care or really mind how hard you've worked, or how great your strategy is," he added. "To be frank I think it's just good that he's ok. He's got a concussion but he'll come back at the right time and once his health is all ok. We know how serious head traumas are now so we need to be respectful of it and we'll see what the next goals are for him, but I'm sure he'll be back and stronger than ever."
With Ganna out, Dempster said the team would continue to go for a stage win in the first seven days, all while ensuring that their GC riders don't slip out of contention before the race has truly got going.
"The approach now is offensive racing, when the win is on the line," he said. "On stage four, I see that as an Ardennes style stage, so Axel Laurance is probably the only real guy for that, it might be GC, and then after that, given how hard this first block has been, post TT I think we'll then see the race much more open and more breakaways going to the line. For that I think we've got weapons that can be successful."
