Egan Bernal returns to lead INEOS Grenadiers in search of glory in the mountains of Catalunya
Cycling
Without a big name to hunt for the general classification, INEOS Grenadiers can only pleasantly surprise in the grand scheme of things during the upcoming Volta a Catalunya. Perhaps, we'll see the British formation take on a new role of stage hunters?
Just a month passed since his crash at Clássica Jáen but Egan Bernal is already back in the action. The Colombian rider was originally due to lead the charge of INEOS at the Giro d'Italia, however whether he'll be ready to pick up the lead already in Catalunya? What we know for sure he'll at the very least try - that's the Bernal we know after all.
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But the realistic leader for INEOS Grenadiers should probably be Laurens De Plus. The 29-year-old didn't have the best Tirreno-Adriatico, but he already proved to be in great shape at the start of the season with a GC podium at Volta ao Algarve where he lost only to Jonas Vingegaard and Joao Almeida.
If we're to speak of a back-up, the name of Geraint Thomas obviously pops up. For the experienced Welshman it's not unusual to take the early months of season easy with view to his main objectives - typically Grand Tours - and with Geraint's one and only goal in the final year as a pro being the Tour de France, he's unlikely to play a crucial role in Catalunya.
However who may leave a mark in the history of the Spanish stage race is Axel Laurance. Albeit not a GC contender as we're used to with INEOS, the Frenchman will have a more than good shot at winning up to four, but not less than two stages. The only issue will be the obvious lack of support in the easier stages, where only Omar Fraile, Lucas Hamilton and Michael Leonard are far from designated, or even sufficient sprint train.
INEOS Grenadiers lineup for 2025 Volta a Catalunya:
- Egan Bernal
- Laurens De Plus
- Omar Fraile
- Lucas Hamilton
- Axel Laurance
- Michael Leonard
- Geraint Thomas
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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