An interview with former Sky/Ineos road captain Luke Rowe, now a directeur sportif with Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale, where he answers reader questions about his career, the state of professional cycling, team dynamics, and his views on various aspects of the sport, including cobbles in Grand Tours, media interaction, and the future of teams like Ineos.
‘They named a sandwich after me’: Luke Rowe on life in the peloton, cobbles and Welsh riders
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️An interview with former Sky/Ineos road captain Luke Rowe, now a directeur sportif with Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale, where he answers reader questions about his career, the state of professional cycling, team dynamics, and his views on various aspects of the sport, including cobbles in Grand Tours, media interaction, and the future of teams like Ineos.
Trending- 1 2010s: Sky train era
- 2 2012: Lance Armstrong doping revelations
- 3 2025 (June 8): Article published
- 4 2025 Tour de France: Montmartre sector discussed
- 5 Future: Discussion of Ineos's future (2028, 2030)
- Potential loss of GC superstars due to cobbles in Grand Tours
- Riders becoming too guarded due to social media hostility
- Potential decline of Ineos if they don't plan for future GC riders
- Increased trust in cycling due to biological passport
- Sky train making races less exciting to watch
- Potential for a Welsh Pro-Conti team (but not World Tour)
What: Luke Rowe, a former road captain and now a directeur sportif, discusses various aspects of professional cycling, including team dynamics, the role of road captains, the inclusion of cobbles in Grand Tours, rider interaction with journalists and social media, training, the current state of the peloton regarding doping suspicions (specifically comparing Chris Froome and Tadej Pogacar), the 'Sky train' tactics, Lance Armstrong's legacy, and the idea of a 'best old rider' jersey. He also reflects on his career and future aspirations.
When: Published 2025-06-08. The interview covers his past career, current role, and future outlooks for the sport and teams.
Where: The interview is published by The Guardian. Discussions cover various locations relevant to cycling, including Cote d’Azur (Beaulieu-sur-Mer), Isola village, Tour de France (Montmartre sector), Giro, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and general peloton locations.
Why: To provide insights into the world of professional cycling from the perspective of an experienced rider and directeur sportif, addressing reader questions and current topics in the sport.
How: Through a reader interview format, where Luke Rowe provides direct answers to questions on a range of cycling-related subjects.