Kévin Vauquelin is making the move to INEOS Grenadiers this winter, and it's a bit of an adjustment for the Frenchman. After years riding for French teams, he now suddenly finds himself in a squad where English is the main language. "That really pushes me out of my comfort zone," he honestly tells l'Equipe.
Vauquelin is currently on his second training camp with his new team. Thanks in part to Monegasque rider Victor Langelotti, things are going well. "Victor has really helped me a lot. And all the riders on the team are also happy that I’m trying to speak English."
Vauquelin is also pleased with the brand-new 'Director of Racing' Geraint Thomas. Recently, the Welshman mentioned on his podcast how happy he was with the Frenchman, which meant a lot to Vauquelin. "I was super happy to hear that. I also think we connect in our way of thinking and working. Maybe he sees some of himself in me when he was younger? We’re both good time trialists, and I made my Tour de France debut in a similar way."
For 2026, Vauquelin now faces a choice. After finishing second in the Tour de Suisse and seventh in the Tour de France, will he continue developing as a GC contender, or will he return to classic one-day racing? "I do need to make a decision about that. Either I will aim to win stages and one-day races, or I will focus for three weeks on a general classification. For now, I’m targeting GC."
"Every rider dreams of winning the Tour, so I have to keep trying. This summer, thanks to the fans, I experienced something so special that I want to come back to the Tour. The dream now is to wear the yellow jersey. I was so close this year, and that really made me angry. Now I want to take revenge," he says.
First, the Frenchman needs to fully recover from a shinbone fracture. "But it’s going well, the hard work is starting to pay off. Over the past months, I’ve worked a lot with physios and done strength training. I have to take my time."
