Ineos Grenadiers recruit head of sport from renowned private school

Ineos Grenadiers has made four new appointments to the ranks of its senior staff, including a new performance director who comes into the team from the position as ‘head of sport’ at a renowned British private school.

Dr Scott Drawer comes in the team from his position as head of sport at Millfield School. It has produced hundreds of athletes who have gone on to represent Great Britain, and some other countries, in a variety of sports in the Olympics and at world championship level, winning 16 Olympic medals.

However, while his last post was with Millifield school, Drawer has also worked for England Rugby and UK Sport as well as spending time with Team GB, leading research and innovation across five Olympic cycles.

He is one of four new appointments unveiled by the team, which follow on the from the surprise departure of deputy team principal Rod Ellingworth, and other personnelamid tensions with Dave Brailsford.

Drawer is no stranger to the cycling team set-up as he also previously worked as head of the ‘performance hub’ at Sky/Ineos Grenadiers from 2016 to 2018.

John Allert has been appointed to the position as chief executive of the team, having previously held the post of managing director. He will be in charge of the day-to-day running of Ineos Grenadiers, reporting to Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc at Ineos Sport.

“This team has created an incredible and successful legacy, but our ambitions for the future are greater than ever. The strengthening of our performance team is perfectly aligned with these ambitions,” Allert said.

Steve Cummings, who has been a sports director the team for a couple of years now, has been promoted to the position of ‘director of racing’. Furthermore, Imanol Erviti, who retired as a Movistar rider this year aged 40, has been recruited as a new sport director.

“The focus, goal and vision of the team is very clear and I’m proud to lead us into battle at the world’s biggest races. We’re absolutely focused on getting back to the top step of the podium,” said Cummings, a two-time Tour de France stage winner.

“We have an impressive depth of experience combined with an exciting mix of young talented riders in this team, all complemented by a world class group of staff. We will give absolutely everything to achieve our goals and I can’t wait to start the new.”

Drawer said of his appointment: “When the opportunity came to return to this team, I jumped at the chance. The Ineos Grenadiers are entering an exciting phase, they have some big goals for the future and I can’t wait to be a part of it.

“This is a performance-led team with innovation at its heart, and I am looking forward to working with a group that’s so focused on excellence and competing to win.”