Egan Bernal’s Giro d’Italia fears eased after last-minute passport scare

Egan Bernal has confirmed he will line up at the 2026 Giro d’Italia, bringing clarity to a situation that had threatened to derail his Grand Tour plans at the last minute.

The INEOS Grenadiers leader had faced an unexpected administrative issue in recent days, raising real doubts over whether he would even be able to travel to Europe in time for the race. However, speaking to Caracol, Bernal moved quickly to reassure fans that the problem has now been resolved.

The issue emerged just days before his scheduled departure for Europe, where he was due to complete his altitude training block. Bernal discovered that his passport had run out of pages for entry stamps, leaving him stuck in Colombia and facing a race against time.

It was a setback that risked undoing months of carefully structured preparation, with the Colombian targeting a return to general classification contention at the Giro. Colombian consular authorities, working alongside the team’s legal representatives, were forced to accelerate the renewal process to ensure he could travel without further delay.

With the situation now resolved, Bernal has made clear his focus has shifted fully back to racing. “There have been days of a lot of tension where I feared losing all the work of the past few months over something as simple as a document, but fortunately, everything has been resolved, and my mind is now 100 percent focused on the first stage,” he said after receiving clearance to travel.

The Colombian arrives at the Giro aiming to return to the highest level, with a demanding three-week route ahead and a strong list of rivals set to challenge for the overall title, including Jonas Vingegaard.

“Physically, I feel I’m at the best level of my career, and my motivation is stronger than ever because I feel I owe a big performance to my teammates and to all the fans who supported me during this uncertain period,” he added.

Now with his renewed passport secured, Bernal heads to Italy with his preparations back on track and his sights firmly set on making an impact when the race reaches the decisive mountain stages.