10 Jan 2022
Egan Bernal signs landmark five year deal with INEOS Grenadiers
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Egan Bernal
The INEOS Grenadiers are excited to announce that Egan Bernal has renewed his contract with the team and agreed a new five-year deal which will mean the Colombian remains a Grenadier until at least the end of 2026.
Coinciding with the start of the 2022 season, both the team and rider have underlined their motivation to chase more success together, with Bernal setting his sights on a return to the Tour de France in July.
Bernal said: “It’s really important, signing this new contract. I am really happy in this team. I am really proud of the team, the staff, and I’m signing now for my most important years. It will be my best years and I want to spend this time with this team.
“I really want to go back to the Tour. I skipped last year because of the Giro, but it feels like it’s been a long time since I was at the Tour. So I am really excited about this year. I want to go back having prepared really well, taking a good team, and being there to really enjoy the race.”
Deputy Team Principal Rod Ellingworth said: “We have seen Egan really grow over the last four years with the team. He’s demonstrated time and again that he is a phenomenal talent. He has also shown that, in the challenging moments, he has a huge amount of courage to pick himself up, lay himself on the line and go again. As a Grenadier and as a teammate, you can’t ask for much more than that. This season is going to be hugely competitive. Egan and the whole team are motivated to go all in and come out fighting.”
Bernal said: “It’s really important, signing this new contract. I am really happy in this team. I am really proud of the team, the staff, and I’m signing now for my most important years. It will be my best years and I want to spend this time with this team.
“I really want to go back to the Tour. I skipped last year because of the Giro, but it feels like it’s been a long time since I was at the Tour. So I am really excited about this year. I want to go back having prepared really well, taking a good team, and being there to really enjoy the race.”
Deputy Team Principal Rod Ellingworth said: “We have seen Egan really grow over the last four years with the team. He’s demonstrated time and again that he is a phenomenal talent. He has also shown that, in the challenging moments, he has a huge amount of courage to pick himself up, lay himself on the line and go again. As a Grenadier and as a teammate, you can’t ask for much more than that. This season is going to be hugely competitive. Egan and the whole team are motivated to go all in and come out fighting.”
In 2018, Bernal took the leap from Pro Continental to WorldTour team with what was then Team Sky. Just a year later he went on to win the 2019 Tour de France aged 21, making him the youngest rider to ever take the Maillot Jaune and achieving an historic win for Colombia. He added the 2021 pink jersey at the 2021 Giro d’Italia to his palmares and delivered the team’s 12th Grand Tour win.
Commenting on his decision to stay racing with the team for what will be close to a decade, Bernal says he believes the Grenadiers provide the hardest working and strongest support structure in cycling with a team that is totally aligned and motivated.
Bernal said: “I am really proud to be a Grenadier. You arrive at the races and you feel that you have the support and structure behind you.
“The thing about this team that I noticed right from the beginning is that everyone is working towards one goal. You can see and feel that everyone loves the sport, they are all really devoted and have an all in mentality.”
Commenting on his decision to stay racing with the team for what will be close to a decade, Bernal says he believes the Grenadiers provide the hardest working and strongest support structure in cycling with a team that is totally aligned and motivated.
Bernal said: “I am really proud to be a Grenadier. You arrive at the races and you feel that you have the support and structure behind you.
“The thing about this team that I noticed right from the beginning is that everyone is working towards one goal. You can see and feel that everyone loves the sport, they are all really devoted and have an all in mentality.”
