Dave Brailsford was hailed as a ‘not-so-secret-weapon’ on his return to the Tour de France but an investigation into a staff member has overshadowed the team’s modest successes
A
s Tadej Pojacar stood on the Champs-Élysées podium, celebrating his fourth victory in the Tour de France, the man who led British cyclists to multiple yellow jerseys and numerous Olympic gold medals had already flown home to Monaco.
Not that long ago, a Dave Brailsford-led success in the Tour de France was almost routine. From 2012 to 2019 when riders from Team Sky, and later Ineos, won seven titles in eight years, Brailsford was at the heart of it all.
Ask anyone closely involved with British Cycling’s Olympic programme, and more specifically, the Tour de France, who drove the standards, who led the charge when times got tough, who raised the mood when morale was low, and they will almost always respond: “Dave.”
