"It was just to test" - Egan Bernal talks through long-range attack to which only UAE responded
Cycling
Egan Bernal just finished fifth in the 11th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2025, entering the group with all the big favorites for the final general classification, 10 seconds behind the day's winner Richard Carapaz. After crossing the finish line, the Colombian INEOS Grenadiers rider shared his impressions of a day where he launched a daring attack.
"Well, there's not much to say really. We said if we were okay, let's say we could try. But well, there was really a long way to go to the finish and it was just to test, to see how the others were and if any of the overall maybe would have stayed then, let's say maybe continue," Bernal said in statements collected by Cycling Pro Net.
In the climb to Alpe San Pellegrino, a first category mountain pass with 13.8 kilometers at 8.8% average gradient, with the last 3 at 11.1%, undoubtedly the biggest difficulty of the day, Bernal launched a move which was only followed by pink and white jersey themselves Isaac del Toro and Juan Ayuso. Whilst it was an attack that ultimately did not work, it brought fireworks to an exciting day of racing and also seemed to show he recovered from his crash in the time-trial.
He then spoke about his physical damage caused by the fall he suffered yesterday during the time trial with the finish in Pisa: "Well, at the beginning it (the knee, ed.) wasn't really good, it was like I was swollen, I don't know, it wasn't like I was super. And then on the climb, I think I was a little better".
Finally, he was asked about Carapaz, who has just won the fourth stage of his personal career at the Giro d'Italia, and left some nice words for the Ecuadorian of EF Education-EasyPost: "Super happy for him, really. He deserves it, he's very brave. And nothing, I think he started very strong, and that, he deserves it, congratulations to him".
Bernal is still 11th in the overall standings, although he is now 2:39 behind race leader Isaac del Toro, who added 6 seconds of bonus time thanks to his second place in today's stage.
Read also
We got some early GC moves! 🇬🇧 @INEOSGrenadiers using their satellite riders for @Eganbernal, but the Maglie Rosa e Bianco follow!
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 21, 2025
We just made it halfway through the stage 🥵 #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/VdXGsKQbX6
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.
claps 4visitors 2
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Roglic could not have won anyway, after Jonas followed him when Roglic decided it was his turn for a stage win. Jonas had already attacked Kuss twice, so it was Jonas who was within seconds of taking the lead before Kuss was 'gifted' the win. It felt a bit like Roglic was being thrown under the bus when the team made his unhappiness public.Hills3314-11-2026
- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
- Martinez had a good year! 5th at the Tour was a great result for him, albeit largely through getting in successful breaks, but he held it better than Pidcock who’d done the same.Lozza14-11-2026
- guess what Valgren, you're 34, and no you're not good enough. sorry to say.mij14-11-2026
- I'm a sepp fan and like to think he earned that LOL, indulge me : ) I think Jonas was fine. Roglic did not want to concede to Sepp. and I don't think you ever attack your own teammate in the leaders jersey if he is holding his own, which Sepp just about was.mij14-11-2026
- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment