Olympian who’s quitting Ineos opens up on ‘tricky year’ and tells Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘make changes’ in honest interview

CYCLIST Ethan Hayter has urged Ineos boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe to "make changes" as he prepares to leave the team.

New Manchester United co-owner Ratcliffe, 72, has come under fire for his decisions in football in recent months.

2

2

The most high-profile of those has been opting not to sack manager Erik ten Hag despite the club's worst ever start to a Premier League season.

Man Utd chiefs have also made a number of other controversial decisions including stopping paying for Sir Alex Ferguson's £2million-a-year ambassadorial role, letting 250 employees go, and cancelling the Christmas party.

Ineos' difficult start to life in charge of football operations comes as they also continue to struggle in cycling.

Previously named Team Sky before Ratcliffe's involvement, they won six Tours de France in seven editions between 2012 and 2018.

READ MORE IN SPORT

FRONT OF THE CUE

Hearn makes White promise after controversial win at Northern Ireland Open

CAMPER

Win a VW Tiguan R plus £5k or £35k cash alternative from just 22p with our discount

But since Ineos took control, Egan Bernal's 2019 triumph is their only overall win at the sport's biggest race.

They have also slipped to seventh in the UCI World Rankings and endured a nightmare year with few victories.

Hayter, 26, an Olympic silver medallist on the track, has been one of Ineos' young hopes for a number of seasons - ever since signing for them in 2020.

But after a difficult year, he has now decided to leave to join Soudal Quick-Step in 2025.

Most read in Cycling

TOUR DE FORCE

I trained with Tour de France stage winner to test cycling’s next big thing

'SPRINT LEGEND'

Six-time world cycling champion, 65, dies suddenly in hospital

END OF THE CYCLE

Cycling legend Mark Cavendish confirms retirement with emotional message

'There's hope'

Chris Hoy reveals target to live beyond doctors' cancer diagnosis

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

And, after clinching silver in the team pursuit at the world championships, he did not mince his words in his assessment of how Ineos are being run.

Speaking to , Hayter was asked why changes are being made at Ineos.

To which he replied: "I don't know what's going on to be honest.

"I've had a tricky year working with them and once I was leaving it was even trickier.

"I don't know, I wish them all the best for next year but they could do with a couple of changes."