Ineos Grenadiers partner with Hot Tubes but look set to miss out on British wonderkid Leon Atkins 🇬🇧
January subscription sale ends today ⏰, and what's coming up on the Substack in February 🇫🇷 🇵🇹
Good morning subscribers,
I’m back from a few days away, and it’s full steam ahead on the Substack.
Coming up today, we’ll have this story on Ineos and Leon Atkins, who is one of the most promising juniors in the UK, and we’ll follow that up later with a story on Visma-Lease a Bike’s transfer outlook.
In other news, I’m going to Etoile de Bessèges next week. I’ve never been to the race, but I’m looking forward to getting lost around Nîmes, struggling with the language barrier, and perhaps even talking to riders, if I’m lucky. The start line is stacked, and it’s one of those early season races that I’ve always wanted to cover. We’ll have a race preview in the next few days.
Later in February, I’ll be joining the Fensham Howes-MAS Design-CAMS team in Leeds for a team event, so expect lots of stories on the junior scene in the UK.
Two days after that, I’ll head to my favourite race of the year, the Volta ao Algarve. It’s going to be my busiest month yet since starting the Substack, but I’m excited about being on the road, interviewing riders and sport directors, and then writing up exclusives for you to enjoy.
I won’t be writing race reports at these races, but I will hunt new angles that focus on transfers, rosters, race analysis and the sort of content that repays you for taking a chance and subscribing to my Substack.
🌟 Last but not least, this is the final day for the January sale. If you want to support my work and purchase a year's subscription at a 20% discount, this is your last chance. The sale closes at midnight. 🌟
Finally, last night, I interviewed a rider agent who works with gravel athletes. That story will run in the next few days, and I’m looking forward to writing that up.
Thanks
Daniel 🫶
Ineos Grenadiers have announced a partnership with the Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team but look set to miss out on Leon Atkins, one of the best junior prospects from the UK, with the 16-year-old already in discussions with several other WorldTour teams over a prospective move in either 2026 or 2007.
The deal between Ineos Grenadiers and Hot Tubes, one of the most successful junior teams in the US, is similar to the relationship set up with UCI Continental team Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank for 2025, in which two Ineos riders were moved to the team at the start of the season.