Ineos make Thomas and Bernal joint leaders for Tour campaign

Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal have been named as joint leaders of Team Ineos for the Tour de France, which begins a week today.

Thomas, who last year became the first Welshman to win cycling’s biggest race, had been due to share leadership duties with Chris Froome, as they did last year.

But Froome’s heavy crash during a reconnaissance ride at the recent Criterium du Dauphine put paid to his hopes of winning a recordequalling fifth title. Froome, who suffered multiple fractures including an open fracture of the femur, is out for at least six months. In his absence, it was unclear whether Thomas would be promoted to outright leader, or if Ineos would give Colombian rising star Bernal his head.

Bernal, 22, has ridden only one grand tour, last year’s Tour de France, when he helped Thomas to victory. But such is his form – Bernal won the recent Tour of Switzerland – that Sir Dave Brailsford, Ineos team principal, felt that giving him joint leadership was the best course of action.

“After the success of last year, we have decided to come into the race with joint leaders,” Brailsford said. “Geraint and Egan are both in great form. They trust each other and we believe this approach will best suit us by giving us the greatest flexibility on the road and the best possible chance of success.”

The rest of the team are as reported in The Daily Telegraph two weeks ago, with Wout Poels, Michal Kwiatkowski, Jonathan Castroviejo, Dylan van Baarle, Gianni Moscon and road captain Luke Rowe providing the support Brailsford hopes will carry his team to a seventh victory in eight years and their first under new owners.

Meanwhile, Mitcheltonscott sprang a minor surprise yesterday by naming both Yates twins, Simon and Adam, in their Tour line-up.

Simon Yates, who won last year’s Vuelta a Espana, rode in last month’s Giro d’italia and it was felt he would probably be rested. But both he and Adam could now contend for the overall title.