Thomas’ Tour team could have a new name
GERAINT Thomas’ Team Ineos has lodged an application with cycling’s governing body to change its name for the Tour de France.
They have asked the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for formal permission to be called Ineos Grenadiers and switch team kits for the the race, which is due to start in Nice, France, on August 29.
Thomas, who became the first Welshman to win the Tour when he was crowned champion two years ago and finished runner-up to teammate Egan Bernal last year, has been training hard in a bold bid to regain the famous winner’s yellow jersey.
Team Ineos want to change their name to promote their sponsor’s new 4x4 Ineos Grenadier vehicle, which was launched earlier this month and had been due to be built in Bridgend.
A spokesman said: “The change will align the team with the Grenadier, a nononsense 4x4 vehicle designed, engineered and manufactured by Ineos Automotive.”
UCI regulations allow for a change of name and colours once per season but it has to grant approval.
Ineos, a multi-national chemical company, moved into the automotive industry this year by releasing the Grenadier, which is inspired by the Land Rover Defender.
But it has since put work on its Welsh and Portuguese car plants on hold while it talks to Mercedes-Benz about buying an existing facility in France which would mean it wouldn’t need to build the factory in Wales and another in Portugal.
The plans to make the vehicle in France jeopardises the creation of up to 1,000 jobs in the UK.
The company had announced last year it would build its new factory next door to the Ford plant in Bridgend, which is due to close in September.
But it has made a U-turn, issuing a statement which said: “Ineos Automotive can confirm that it is reviewing its manufacturing strategy for the new Grenadier in light of the Covid-19 pandemic - which has led to some delays in our development plans, but has also presented some new opportunities in terms of existing manufacturing capacity that were not previously available to us.
“Specifically, Ineos Automotive has entered detailed discussions with Mercedes-Benz on the acquisition of its Hambach site in Moselle, France.
“We have therefore suspended the post-lockdown resumption of work at our sites in Wales and Portugal pending the outcome of this review. Further updates will follow in the coming weeks.”
Under Ineos’ original plans, Portugal would make the body parts, which would then be shipped to Wales and assembled in a new custom-built facility.
The factory was planned to be built on the 100 acre Brocastle site, which is owned by the Welsh Government, next to Ford factory.
It had been hoped the company would bring much-needed jobs to Bridgend after the closure of Ford.