INEOS Grenadiers Interview: 10 Questions
By Stan Portus – 18 February 2021
Saddleback spoke to the INEOS Grenadiers to find out about their fastest speed ever on the bike, their go-to café stop snack, favourite Castelli kit and where they’d be if they weren’t a cyclist.
Saddleback spoke to Luke Rowe, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Ethan Hayter, Tom Pidcock, Adam Yates, Laurens De Plus and Richie Porte from Team INEOS to hear about all manner of things from what they like to eat on a café ride to who they admire most.
The INEOS Grenadiers told us about the fastest speeds they’ve ever reached on two wheels and, as you’d expect from some of the best riders in the world, they are eye watering. Tao Geoghegan Hart has hit 106kmph and 22-year-old Ethan Hayter has reached 105kmph. Luke Rowe has recorded the highest speed out of the bunch with an unbelievable 120kmph.
Café snacks see a few of the team opting for carrot cake, while Riche’s go-to is smashed avocado on toast – a reminder of the café culture in his home country of Australia.
When we asked them what they’d be up to if it wasn’t for cycling, Adam Yates stuck to sport saying it would probably be running or athletics. Tao Geoghegan Hart on the other hand has no idea. Luke Rowe? “On the dole.”
Many of the squad have the Gabba as their favourite bit of Castelli kit. Richie says that it must be the “most famous garment in cycling” and comments on how even when he wasn’t riding on a Castelli team, he would always have one – something that was part of the Gabba’s early rise to fame.
Tom Pidcock favours the Nano Flex Pro Race Bib Shorts, maybe thanks to his time and success in cyclocross which always sees some gnarly conditions.
When asked who he admires most Tao, an Arsenal fan and true Gooner, says Thierry Henry, as does fellow Londoner Ethan. Laurens De Plus cites former teammate Chris Froome, remarking on how he was the best Grand Tour riders of his generation. Richie and Luke both say their wives, with Richie commenting on how much she does given he is away racing and training for so much of the year.
