The INEOS Grenadiers are delighted to confirm contract extensions for five riders ahead of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
Michal Kwiatkowski has signed a new three-year deal, extending his successful career with the team into a second decade. The former world champion is one of the peloton\u2019s most experienced and respected riders, and his consistency and professionalism continue to set the standard within the squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels natural to stay,\u201d said Kwiatkowski. \u201cI love the atmosphere, the people and the way we work. I\u2019m not here to stay in my comfort zone, I\u2019m here because this is where I push myself every day. I feel joy when things go well and I feel supported when they don\u2019t. That\u2019s cycling – one day you\u2019re on top of the world, the next you\u2019re fighting through a tough moment. It\u2019s been an amazing journey so far, but it\u2019s not over yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis team has been my home for so many years, and I still feel the same hunger and motivation every time I pin on a number. What keeps me here is the people, the trust and the shared ambition to keep performing at the highest level.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben Swift, another of the team\u2019s longest-serving riders, will continue for another season. A double British champion, Swift\u2019s experience and leadership remain invaluable both on the road and off the bike, helping to shape the next generation of Grenadiers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis team has been such a big part of my life and to head into an 18th season as a pro is fantastic,\u201d said Swift. \u201cI still love the racing, the camaraderie and the purpose we all share. It\u2019s a privilege to help guide the younger riders and play my part in the next chapter of the Grenadiers.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur team is on a real upward trajectory and I am looking forward to playing a role in that progression. I can\u2019t wait to kick off the 2026 season and to get racing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas Hamilton has signed a two-year extension, reinforcing the team\u2019s climbing and stage-race depth. The popular Australian has impressed with his adaptability and tactical awareness across varied terrain and will continue to play an important role in Grand Tours and week-long stage races.<\/p>\n
Hamilton said: \u201cI\u2019m really happy to be extending with the team. After a year, it genuinely feels like home – great people and great environment. I believe in the direction the team is heading and I\u2019m excited to be part of that journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kim Heiduk has also signed a one-year extension, reward for his steady progression and reliability across the classics and in key support roles. His power and positioning in demanding races continue to make him an important contributor to the Grenadiers\u2019 collective strength.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really happy to extend my contract,\u201d said Heiduk. \u201cI feel at home here, it really does feel like a family. I\u2019ve learned so much since joining the Grenadiers and having the trust of the team for the next step in my career means a huge amount. I\u2019m motivated to keep helping our leaders and to show my own progression in the biggest races.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon Rivera has agreed to a one-year extension, maintaining his strong role within the team\u2019s climbing and support group. The Colombian continues to provide strength and consistency in key mountain stages and across a wide range of our racing calendar.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery season with this team feels like a new opportunity to grow and give my best,\u201d said Rivera. \u201cI\u2019m proud to be part of this family and to support my teammates in achieving our big goals together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Geraint Thomas, Director of Racing, said: \u201cIt\u2019s brilliant to have these five lads continue with us. They all bring something a bit different and they\u2019ll be key to what we want to do next season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Kwiato, he\u2019s been part of the biggest victories in the team both on a personal level and also in a supporting role, so keeping him involved and having his experience in the rider group is hugely beneficial.<\/p>\n
\u201cKim and Brandon have come on loads since joining the team. They\u2019re just so solid – it doesn\u2019t matter what the race is, they go there, are good and give their absolute best.<\/p>\n
\u201cLucas only joined last year, but he\u2019s a great character to have around with a typical Aussie spirit which we\u2019ve always had to some extent over the years. He had a really strong Giro, impressed across a range of other stage races and will have plenty to contribute in the coming seasons.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then there\u2019s Swifty. He\u2019s the elder statesman now, but last season he proved exactly why experience counts. He did a bit of everything, across loads of races, and every single time he was just rock solid. Swifty sets the tone for the younger lads coming through and will play a big part in helping them get to know what bike racing is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The INEOS Grenadiers are delighted to confirm contract extensions for five riders ahead of the 2026 season. Michal…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":614033,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4104],"tags":[4230,79,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-614032","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-cycling","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115667593036551576","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=614032"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614032\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/614033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=614032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=614032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=614032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}