Relaxed Tour for Team Ineos

– Team Ineos boss Dave Brailsford said yesterday his riders were perfectly poised for another Tour de France win at the halfway stage after 10 roller-coaster stages so far.

Reigning champion Geraint Thomas, above, backed up by team co-captain Egan Bernal, said victory was within his grasp and all was well in the Ineos camp.

That is in stark contrast to last year when the outfit, riding as Team Sky, were booed and jeered on the road by a hostile public, upset that team leader Chris Froome had been cleared to ride despite doping allegations.

“Without a shadow of a doubt this is the most positive start we have ever had, a dramatic change from last year,” said Brailsford, speaking on a rest day before racing resumes today.

At the same stage last year, Brailsford was engaged in a war of words with organisers about Team Sky’s treatment.

“We can all speculate as to why that is, but to be supported like this and have a positive experience adds to the joy of it,” said the man who has masterminded six titles from the past seven Tours de France.

“Ineos is a more open organisation and we are enjoying ourselves,” he said, despite the absence of Froome, forced out by injury following a crash in June.

Defending champion Thomas is currently second to Julian Alaphilippe, while Colombian Bernal, 22, is just four seconds behind the Welshman after a string of attacks from the Frenchman have lit up the opening section.

“It’s been excellent,” said Thomas. “Things are really starting to heat up.

“The parcourse has had a lot to do with it with tricky hills placed near the end of stages and stuff.”

Alaphilippe has launched three blistering attacks in such stages, in the Champagne region where he first took yellow, in a joint attack with Thibaut Pinot when he took it back from Giulio Ciccone, and on the narrow crosswind swept road to Albi on Monday.

“Alaphilippe being so aggressive has made a difference. It’s been a great start, now for the second half of the race.” –

Castres

It’s been excellent. Things are really starting to heat up.

Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos at the Tour de France