"I have nothing to lose" - Egan Bernal enters decisive stages with Giro victory still in mind

Egan Bernal is fighting like a titan in this Giro d'Italia 2025, but the crashes have diminished him and prevent him from being at full strength to keep up with Richard Carapaz, Isaac del Toro and company. However heading into stages 19 and 20, the Colombian has not thrown down his gloves just yet.

Despite everything, the Colombian commented in Marca that he is really enjoying the Corsa Rosa because since the crash that almost cost him his life three years ago he had never enjoyed riding a bike so much:

"I think it's the first time in many years that I've managed to be in the general classification (in a Grand Tour, ed., in the first places more or less. I will remember this Giro because I enjoyed it. I've been able to be at the front and I think I've enjoyed it. For me it's something new after everything that has happened".

Bernal starts this Friday's stage 4:43 minutes down on Isaac del Toro's pink jersey and around 4 minutes down on the race podium. This of course makes it a very big task to still aim for the top places in this race (although he is currently sixth), but for a rider who has won this race in the past, he is willing to take risks.

"Faith is the last thing to be lost. I have nothing to lose. If I have any legs, I'm going to try. But it's true that, when the road is so hard, there's not much tactics either. In the end, everyone goes their own way."

Bernal, above a result, also wants to leave behind a mark through his way of racing: "I would like to be remembered because I was a cyclist who won, who was the best at the time, who trained hard and sacrificed. I think I trained even harder and sacrificed even more when I crashed and was at my lowest."

He ends with a life lesson: "Life is not all rosy. Sometimes you have to suffer, try hard and never give up. Especially the first time you fall. You have to keep going forward".