INEOS hand chief new role as Man United owners target fresh mission

This former Manchester United chief stepped away from his role after 18 months and is now working in the cycling world with Ineos Grenadiers

Sir Dave Brailsford launched “Mission 21” and “Mission 1” during his time at Manchester United before departing. And owners Ineos have handed him a new role with their cycling team as he sets another goal.

Brailsford, renowned for his achievements in cycling, arrived at Old Trafford in late 2023 when Ineos assumed responsibility for the club’s football operations. His strong ties with Sir Jim Ratcliffe led to his appointment to elevate standards.

He sought to inspire a return to the Premier League summit for the club, while also targeting a maiden league title for the women’s team. Consequently, his two “Missions” were inspired by the league championships he aspired to secure in Manchester.

Ultimately, his spell at Old Trafford proved brief, and he departed United after just 18 months to concentrate instead on Ratcliffe’s cycling outfit as Ineos’ director of sport. The men’s and women’s teams remain no closer to winning their respective league titles.

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Now back in the cycling sphere as team principal, Brailsford has launched “Mission 8” for personnel and riders at Ineos Grenadiers (formerly Team Sky) as they pursue an eighth Tour de France triumph, as per The Times.

Under the Sky and subsequently the Ineos banner, the squad claimed seven Tour de France victories in eight years between 2012 and 2019. The first of those arrived when Sir Bradley Wiggins secured a historic maiden triumph for a British rider.

Chris Froome then assumed the mantle, establishing himself as the sport’s premier competitor. He secured four Tours for the team within five years.

That supremacy was subsequently continued through further triumphs for Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal. In more recent years, though, Ineos have found it difficult to remain competitive at the highest level.

This has partly been down to the excellence of Tadej Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates XRG. But Brailsford was instrumental in the restructuring at United when Ratcliffe first acquired a minority stake in the Premier League club, and will have his sights set on change.

He was a key figure in the transformation of the Carrington training complex, which has now been entirely completed and garnered acclaim after years of neglect.

United’s leadership is now headed by football specialists with Omar Berrada, previously of Manchester City, and Jason Wilcox taking major decisions.

Their current brief is to select the club’s next manager while behind the scenes there remains ongoing discussion about how and when United will deliver a world-class stadium.

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