"I feel strong heading to the Giro" - Egan Bernal confident of GC challenge on Giro d'Italia return

The INEOS Grenadiers have become the first team to confirm their lineup for the 2025 Giro d'Italia, with former Maglia Rosa winner Egan Bernal leading the team alongside Dutch star Thymen Arensman. With this two-pronged attack, the team is confident that it will be able to challenge the upper echelons of the general classification once again.

“The Giro holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I reached one of my greatest milestones in my career in 2021 and I’m both motivated and grateful to be back and leading the team again alongside Thymen," Bernal says in a press release on his team's official website. “This season hasn't been the most straightforward given my broken collarbone after the crash in Clásica Jaén in February. But we had a good rehab plan and I was able to get back on the bike quickly afterwards. I’ve had a solid block of training, and I feel strong heading to the Giro."

“We’ve got a really balanced squad for this year’s edition, with guys who can support in the mountains and others who can look for opportunities for stage wins," adds the Colombian climber. "The team is hungry and we are going to be coming out fighting every day.”

As mentioned, Bernal will be joined by Arensman in a two-pronged GC attack for INEOS in Italy. “The Giro has been a big goal for me since the winter. I have some great memories from this race and always really love racing in Italy," says the Dutchman. "The route is challenging but exciting, with a good mix of terrains and some interesting time trials, so I’m really happy to be going back and to be racing alongside Egan and such a strong group of riders."

“My 2025 season has been quite good so far. I feel stronger and more consistent in races, and I’ve had some nice results which I am proud of, including my first win with the team. That result came in a really special way and has given me a good boost coming ahead of the Giro. I am now focused and looking forward to getting racing,” concludes Arensman.

“This Giro team is a strong blend of experience and emerging talent. We’re here to race smart, race hard, and to try to put ourselves in contention for the Maglia Rosa," adds Performance Director, Dr. Scott Drawer. "Egan and Thymen give us real depth and leadership in the GC battle. Egan’s journey back to top form has been nothing short of incredible, and his experience at a race like the Giro is invaluable for the rest of the team. Thymen’s progression this season has been great to see and we believe he’s ready to take another step forward at this race."

“Alongside them, we’ve selected a group that’s not only capable of supporting a GC challenge but also dynamic enough to take opportunities across a really demanding and unpredictable route. Josh will be targeting strong performances in the time trials, Castro will be invaluable in the high mountains and riders like Kim, Lucas, Brandon and Ben Turner will be crucial in the key transitional stages," Drawer previews. “We’ve been racing this season with a bit more freedom, creativity and adaptability and this Giro squad and the staff supporting them will be carrying that momentum into the race.”