Surprising plan INEOS only confirms Bernal is back in top form: "Didn't want to use Thymen at the front of that group"
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Follow us on GoogleThe thirteenth stage of the Giro d'Italia was expected to be tough, but no one could have predicted that INEOS Grenadiers would suddenly turn up the heat on a fourth-category climb. The British team suddenly took the initiative on the San Giovanni in Monte, tearing the peloton apart. IDLProCycling.com asked after the race what the strategy behind the attack was, ultimately costing Thymen Arensman some time.
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All guns were blazing in the peloton with just over 50 kilometers to go. A short, bumpy section to Peneriva was followed by a tricky descent, immediately followed by the foot of the San Giovanni in Monte. It wasn't the most challenging climb at 5.0 kilometers at 6.6 percent, but INEOS put the team at the front. Ben Turner completely broke up the pack, and for a moment, it looked like we would get a fantastic finale. However, those who had been dropped came back, much to their surprise.
"It was a technical descent, followed immediately by the longer climb. We wanted to take control there and see what would happen," sports director Zak Dempster explained. "We were just missing a few guys at the front, so we only had Egan (Bernal, ed.) and Thymen left. Otherwise, we could have pushed on, but I didn't want to use Thymen at the front of that group. There were splits, but that's why we left the control to other teams."
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INEOS asked Arensman to slow down
Nevertheless, Arensman continued to ride at the front of the group on behalf of INEOS for quite some time, even after the GC contenders had rejoined the peloton. Dempster: "I told Thymen he could slow down, but he wanted to keep riding at his own pace and felt in control. When the other teams came back to the front, we dropped back and reset the race. But the riders feel best on the bike what they are comfortable with."
According to Dempster, the fact that Arensman finished 18 seconds behind winner Mads Pedersen was not necessarily related to the work on the climb. The Dutchman simply lacks the explosiveness that Bernal once again demonstrated. "Egan is a guy who has punch, especially now that the races are getting faster and everyone is more tired in the finals. That's to his advantage because Egan recovers quickly."
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Egan Bernal
Bernal confirms that he is truly back
It was another confirmation that Bernal is truly back. The Colombian rider also confirmed this briefly to this website. "The big difference is that I no longer have the hernia in my back, which I had surgery on last year after the Tour de France. That's why my preparation and training have been so different." Dempster: "In the past, he was always competitive on explosive finishes, although today's was perhaps just on the limit. Things are moving in the right direction."
That looks promising, as Bernal will really come into his own in the third week when we start climbing for real, and the punch is no longer a priority. Without back problems, the former Tour and Giro winner can really enjoy that. "I've had so much pain in my back all my life, I had to get up early every morning to do exercises. That's over now."
Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- Eight riders told to go for stages, and nobody gets one—hard to know what the plan was there. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pick a clear leader next time.bikebuffj10-11-2026
- Was Bernal’s 20th place really their best GC result? I thought he might have finished higher. Either way, it sounds like a rough Tour for the whole team.gearguru3310-11-2026
- Five days in breaks with no stage win is a painful stat. The team had chances, but they need to turn those opportunities into results.julien10-11-2026
- The Onley Vuelta example makes sense: a team with someone to rally around often looks much more cohesive. Hopefully INEOS can build on that rather than expecting a quick return to the Sky years.cadencekingm10-11-2026
- Thomas is right about the ambiguity. Eight riders all chasing stages can end up pulling in different directions, even if nobody’s deliberately working against anyone. They need a clearer plan once the GC leaders are out.robert6510-11-2026
- What a mess. The report makes it sound as though nobody properly explained the decision, and that’s hard to defend.jennifer1910-11-2026
- I’m still learning the rules: does moving left in a sprint automatically bring a penalty, or does it depend on whether the other rider is blocked? It sounds like Brand wasn’t impeded here.patriciaw10-11-2026
- A final decision still needs a proper explanation. If the federation’s complaint goes nowhere, I hope the officials at least review how they handled the riders afterwards.michael5410-11-2026
- Fair play to Lucinda for saying Marie had won fair and square. That kind of sportsmanship matters, especially after such a controversial decision.raceready710-11-2026
- Schreiber beat Brand on the road, so the jury needed to explain clearly why that slight deviation warranted relegation. Being cut off before she could give her account sounds appalling.lindae10-11-2026
