VN news ticker: Romain Bardet to skip Olympic Games, Ineos Grenadiers extends Pinarello partnership
Here's the news making the headlines on Tuesday, June 8.
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Romain Bardet to skip Olympic Games
Romain Bardet has become the latest French rider to exclude himself from selection for the Olympic Games. The Team DSM rider joins compatriot Julian Alaphilippe in declining selection for the road race in Tokyo next month.
Bardet recently finished seventh overall at the Giro d’Italia and is slated to race the Vuelta a España later in the year. His decision means that French coach Thomas Voeckler is now searching for another potential leader to keep the nation’s medal ambitions alive.
“After a three-way discussion with the team, Thomas and myself, we decided that I will not participate in the Olympic Games this year,” Bardet told French sports daily L’Équipe. “We have big goals with DSM that await us at the end of the season, and it was not possible to have peak form in Tokyo with this program.”
All is not lost for the French team with riders such as Guillaume Martin and David Gaudu potential contenders on the mountainous course.
Ineos Grenadiers extends Pinarello partnership by four years
Ineos Grenadiers will continue to race on Pinarello through 2025 after the team extended its deal with the Italian bike manufacturer by four years. The British squad has raced on Pinarello bikes since its inception in 2010, utilizing 17 different models in that time.
Ineos Grenadiers recently won the Giro d’Italia with Egan Bernal and the team is aiming to win the Tour de France with a team headed by Geraint Thomas, Richard Carapaz, and Richie Porte.
“Pinarello is a company with a unique place in our sport. They have a deep respect for the heritage of cycling, but they combine it with a desire to remain at the cutting edge of technology and engineering,” team principal David Brailsford said.
“The sport has changed a lot over the years and Fausto and the team have been a big part of our journey for over a decade supporting the team with the very best in bike technology. We have experienced a lot but it still feels as exciting now as when we first started out, and we are proud to continue racing together for many years to come.”
Our journey continues.
We're proud to continue racing on @Pinarello_com bikes for the next four seasons.https://t.co/uZ7wOiikFr pic.twitter.com/5cYTTGmsW5
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) June 8, 2021