"I have no idea what they were doing" - Egan Bernal blasts UAE for blocking long-range attack on Monte Grappa
Cycling
The Giro d'Italia is on fire and surprisingly, the rider that has been attacking the most is currently far from the podium. On Monte Grappa - and stage 15 as a whole - INEOS Grenadiers tried to once again explode the GC battle, but was met with an ultra-conservative UAE Team Emirates - XRG with whom he was not happy with.
With over 90 kilometers to go on the mythical climb, Bernal launched an attack after the work of his teammates. He was immediately followed by Isaac del Toro, and later joined by Richard Carapaz, Thymen Arensman and Derek Gee.
"We were just collaborating, but it looks like the other group was going super hard, because actually I felt I was descending like a rock, I was even a bit scared in the descent, but the guys behind they still..." Bernal said in an interview with Cyclingnews.
INEOS went all-in on a move that could've seen them move up the GC a lot. Del Toro refused to collaborate, and his team chased behind with numbers, so as to regain control of the race and bring Juan Ayuso back to the front as well. In the finale, they deployed the same tactics, maintaining the outlook of the overall classification very similar int the final week.
Arensman was visibly upset with UAE's tactics as was possible to see during the broadcast, whilst Bernal more so confused. "I have no idea what they were doing. It was a bit strange, but they have their reasons, so no idea."
Still, the overall fatigue on the stage led Primoz Roglic to crack on the final climb which saw the duo both gain a position in the Top10. "With Roglič, I don't know what happened, honestly. The last climb wasn't super steep, but it was one of those climbs where if you drop, you can lose a lot of time. Actually, in the last metres I was struggling a little bit, it was super hard to keep the pace with the big boys, but I think we did well to try. We are team Ineos, we have to do something for sure."
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INEOS has truly been lighting up this Giro, and with a motivated and in-form Bernal, there are fireworks on most days with climbs on the menu. The Colombian shares that much of this is due to the pleasure of being able to race pain-free once again.
"I have been racing with back pain for my whole career, since I was a kid I remember I was having back pain, and since last year after the surgery when they removed the hernia, I've been enjoying being on the bike and it's the first Grand Tour I do without pain," the 28-year old explained.
"After three years of being in the gruppetto the whole race, finally I can do something, I can move the race, and I can feel that I'm bringing something to my team. I'm just happy to be back and for sure, for the future, I think this race will give me something extra, with the result we don't know what it will be, but for sure it will be a big step."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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Front24226-05-20255
Lazy comment. Proof?
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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