After more than 20 years at the top of the sport, Thomas transitions from the WorldTour peloton into a position focused on shaping the team’s competitive future. Working closely with Sir Dave Brailsford, Dr. Scott Drawer and the Senior Management Team, he will provide crucial input on race strategy, rider development, recruitment and performance readiness.
A founding rider of the team and central to its most defining moments, the proud Welshman has enjoyed a storied career: winner of the 2018 Tour de France, multiple Grand Tour podium finishes, stage race victories and double Olympic gold medals with Team GB. His move into leadership reflects the Grenadiers’ commitment to developing talent from within, and to harnessing Thomas’s unmatched knowledge of the demands and complexities of elite performance.
“This team has been my home since day one, and stepping into this role feels like a natural next step,” Thomas said. “I’ve learnt so much from the people around me – fellow riders and staff – and I now want to continue building on our incredible past success into the future.
“I’m passionate about helping the next generation come through, to pass on that experience and keep pushing the team forward towards our mission of winning Grand Tours again. The Grenadiers will continue to race with purpose, humility and a commitment to excellence – and I’m excited to help shape that future.”
Sir Dave Brailsford praised Thomas’s influence both on and off the bike:
“Geraint typifies what it means to be a Grenadier. He has lived and breathed elite performance throughout his career. He knows what the process takes, how to deal with the highs and lows of elite sport and his willingness to now share this and mentor others to do the same is a great asset for the team.”
Speaking on his Watts Occurring podcast, which he co-hosts with former pro and fellow Welshman Luke Rowe, Thomas also shed light on the internal standards he hopes to foster in his new position.
“There’s always competition for places and it’s kind of the same for staff, how are they impacting performance this week… it’s not just going through the motions,” he said. “The main thing with that is having a big goal, a big objective everybody thinks, ‘that’s pretty tough to go to’. It makes you sweat a bit.”
That big goal is clear. As Thomas revealed, the team is united behind a return to Tour de France-winning form.
“It’s no secret, the big goal is winning the Tour again. This is the start, we’re going towards it, everyone’s clear.”
Despite the dominance of current Tour champion Tadej Pogačar, Thomas remains optimistic:
“Pog’s not going to be around forever. In two or three years’ time we want to be in a super-strong position where we can challenge for it, Pog or not.”
With Thomas moving from the road to the race-control room, the team is signalling intent: a renewed push to reclaim cycling’s most prestigious podium—and a future guided by one of the sport’s great leaders.
