25 Oct 2020
Brailsford full of praise for Tao and Giro approach
INEOS Grenadiers Team Principal Sir Dave Brailsford has hailed the performance of the team as a new style of racing paid off at the Giro d'Italia.
Brailsford was one of the first to greet Tao Geoghegan Hart as he claimed victory atop Sestriere on Saturday's penultimate stage, hugging the rider who grew up idolising the team and its British Grand Tour winners..
After Chris Froome, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas, Geoghegan Hart becomes the fourth Brit to win a Grand Tour for the team.
For Brailsford, seeing the 25 year old come of age provided a fantastic bookend to a journey that began with the team being launched back in 2010.
On his reaction to Tao's victory, Brailsford admitted: "I burst into tears basically. When we first started the team, Tao bunked off school and came along to watch Brad and the guys when they launched the team. He rode behind Brad, and it’s a story he likes to tell. All of a sudden he was in the team, and all of a sudden he’s in this position. You couldn’t make it up. It’s the stuff of dreams, it really is.
After Chris Froome, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas, Geoghegan Hart becomes the fourth Brit to win a Grand Tour for the team.
For Brailsford, seeing the 25 year old come of age provided a fantastic bookend to a journey that began with the team being launched back in 2010.
On his reaction to Tao's victory, Brailsford admitted: "I burst into tears basically. When we first started the team, Tao bunked off school and came along to watch Brad and the guys when they launched the team. He rode behind Brad, and it’s a story he likes to tell. All of a sudden he was in the team, and all of a sudden he’s in this position. You couldn’t make it up. It’s the stuff of dreams, it really is.
"This year has been a bit of a rollercoaster let’s be fair. But what we know this year from bike racing is that it’s never over until it’s over is it."
Sir Dave Brailsford
It’s as much about the style of racing, how we go about racing and it’s about the racers.
Brailsford has taken particular pride in the way the team bounced back from the disappointment of team leader Thomas crashing out of the race early, after demonstrating early signs of race-winning form.
He added: "What I really, really liked about this was the way that everybody rode. I’m really disappointed for Geraint – that was devastating. I think Filippo (Ganna) set the tone, in the world’s jersey, first time out and got the pink jersey. Obviously it was devastating when Geraint crashed out. But for Filippo to win that road stage the way he did, that was immense, and it filled everybody with confidence. We thought, let’s get out there and race. Tao – you stay on GC and look after yourself. Anybody who gets in the break get in the break, and anyone who doesn’t look after Tao. And that’s what they’ve done and they’ve just smashed it.”
He added: "What I really, really liked about this was the way that everybody rode. I’m really disappointed for Geraint – that was devastating. I think Filippo (Ganna) set the tone, in the world’s jersey, first time out and got the pink jersey. Obviously it was devastating when Geraint crashed out. But for Filippo to win that road stage the way he did, that was immense, and it filled everybody with confidence. We thought, let’s get out there and race. Tao – you stay on GC and look after yourself. Anybody who gets in the break get in the break, and anyone who doesn’t look after Tao. And that’s what they’ve done and they’ve just smashed it.”
For Brailsford the race has seen a continued evolution of the team out on the road, with attacking riding and racing with style becoming increasingly important.
“I came to this sport when I was a young guy because I loved racing, it attracted me to the sport as it was all about racing,” he told Eurosport.
“In the past 10 years we’ve won a lot, but as you get older you wonder what it’s all about. It’s as much about the style of racing, how we go about racing and it’s about the racers.
“It’s about Rohan Dennis’ story, or Tao, from London, went to see Bradley when we launched Team Sky and here he is now, doing this.
“He idolised Bradley and it kind of all connects, so my emotion is one of pure enjoyment, really, really relishing the new philosophy that the sport’s got at the minute and we’ve got to embrace that and go out and see how good we can be at racing.”
“I came to this sport when I was a young guy because I loved racing, it attracted me to the sport as it was all about racing,” he told Eurosport.
“In the past 10 years we’ve won a lot, but as you get older you wonder what it’s all about. It’s as much about the style of racing, how we go about racing and it’s about the racers.
“It’s about Rohan Dennis’ story, or Tao, from London, went to see Bradley when we launched Team Sky and here he is now, doing this.
“He idolised Bradley and it kind of all connects, so my emotion is one of pure enjoyment, really, really relishing the new philosophy that the sport’s got at the minute and we’ve got to embrace that and go out and see how good we can be at racing.”
