Tom Pidcock talks about Ineos Grenadiers racing director Steve Cummings' surprising decision to support the team remotely during the Tour de France.

"I don't think it will affect me. Things change, it's not for me to comment," Pidcock told Cycling Weekly at the Tour de France team presentation in Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence, Italy, on Thursday.

According to the recently released Netflix series "Tour de France Unchained," Cummings and Pidcock endured a tense relationship during the 2023 Tour de France. However, at a press conference prior to the Tour de France, Pidcock and teammate Carlos Rodriguez dismissed the Netflix episode as "drama."

Cummings was the chief sportif at last year's Tour de France, while Zach Dempster will be the chief sportif this year. The team will also use a second directeur sportif, Xavier Zandio Echaide, in the race.

Dempster told Cycling Weekly that he learned two weeks ago that he would be leading the team in the Tour de France. He also said Cummings found it difficult to support the team remotely.

"I don't think that's possible. At the moment, I'm the DS leader here and I'll be managing the race on behalf of the performance team. But for sure, he will have an opinion and he has done a really good job so far in building this journey.

Cummings has competed in several races this season as a directeur sportif for Ineos Grenadier, including the Criterium du Dauphiné, which is considered a prelude to the Tour de France.

He plays a key role in determining Ineos Grenadiers' roster and race strategy for the Tour de France, with Rodriguez and Eoghan Bernal named as Ineos' GC leaders and Pidcock and Geraint Thomas supporting them in their quest for a stage win Aiming for a stage win.

Thomas told a press conference, "As long as we are all looking in the same direction, I am confident we will succeed. Of course there will be bumps, but we will deal with them the best we can. We are all very clear about what we came here to accomplish."

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