INEOS Grenadiers reportedly decide on Giro d'Italia leadership – Egan Bernal and Thymen Arensman offer two-pronged Maglia Rosa attack

INEOS Grenadiers have reportedly settled on a dual-leadership approach for the Giro d'Italia 2026, with Egan Bernal and Thymen Arensman set to co-lead the British team’s ambitions at the season’s first Grand Tour.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the pair have been identified as INEOS Grenadiers’ reference riders for the Corsa Rosa, as the Giro start-list continues to take shape and teams gradually reveal their plans.

The reported decision comes as the squad continues to assess its wider Grand Tour strategy for 2026. Carlos Rodriguez and Kevin Vauquelin are both expected to focus on the Tour de France, where Oscar Onley (should the much-rumoured signing be made official) is also anticipated to play a central role, leaving the Giro as a key opportunity for a different leadership structure.

For Bernal, the Giro represents familiar ground. The Colombian won the race in 2021 before suffering the serious accident that disrupted the following phase of his career. He returned to the Italian Grand Tour in 2025, finishing seventh overall and claiming a third-place stage finish as his best individual result.

The 2026 edition would mark Bernal’s third career appearance at the Giro, with the race continuing to hold symbolic importance within his palmares.

Arensman, meanwhile, brings continuity and experience. The Dutch rider is set for what would be his fifth consecutive Giro appearance, including three previous participations with INEOS Grenadiers. His strongest results came in 2023 and 2024, when he finished sixth overall on both occasions. In the most recent edition, he ended the race in 29th position.

The reported Giro selection is also expected to include Filippo Ganna, who would be among the headline names for the individual time-trial from Viareggio to Massa. The Italian has again targeted Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix early in the season, but the Giro would offer further opportunities to ride for stage success while also supporting the team’s general-classification leaders.

Following the Giro, Ganna is also expected to line up at the Tour de France later in the summer.

While INEOS Grenadiers have yet to make an official announcement, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Bernal and Arensman now form the backbone of the team’s Giro d'Italia leadership plans for 2026.