Sir Dave Brailsford has responded to the rumours that Egan Bernal wants to leave Ineos Grenadiers.
The cycling rumour mill has been abuzz ever since reports emerged suggesting that multiple Grand Tour winner Bernal is unhappy at the British WorldTour squad.
Colombian superstar Bernal is currently three years into an unusually long five-year contract with Ineos, as the team has banked on the future success of the 24-year-old, already the winner of the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia.
Recent reports from Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, based on quotes from Italian journalist Beppe Conti, suggested that Bernal was unhappy at Ineos and that he had a “blank” relationship with team-mates.
The article said Bernal was expected to see out his current contract, which runs until the end of 2023, before seeking a new deal with Israel Start-Up Nation.
In a video interview with Colombian journalist Juan Sebastian, Ineos Grenadiers team principal Brailsford has responded to the rumours, saying: “Egan has still got two years on his contract. We’re in the third year of a five-year contract with Egan.
"We’re very very proud of Egan. He’s a brilliant rider, we’ve always had a good relationship with Colombian riders. He’s won the Tour de France for us, he proved how fantastic he is with the way he won the Giro.
“He’s one of the key riders in the team now and going forward. Like always we look to the future and we’d like him very much to be part of our future.”
Brailsford was speaking from Leuven during the World Championships in Flanders, at an event hosted by Ineos Grenadiers kit sponsor for 2022 Bioracer.
Bernal signed with Ineos, formerly Team Sky, for the 2018 season, helping the team win the Tour de France with Geraint Thomas that year, before he went on to win the race himself in 2019.
After struggling with back problems through the 2020 season, Bernal returned to dominant form during the 2021 Giro d’Italia, comfortably winning his second three-week race.
He is expected to return to the Tour next year to try and repeat his past success.
