Panic and doubts as Egan Bernal dropped on innocuous climb at Giro d'Italia

Egan Bernal’s bid to reclaim the pink leader’s jersey at the Giro d’Italia encountered a worrying setback during stage 4, as the Netcompany Ineos rider unexpectedly fell behind on the only categorised climb of the day. Despite demonstrating strong climbing form earlier in the race, particularly on stage 2 where he gained valuable time and bonus seconds, Bernal struggled on the 14.4-kilometre ascent of Cozzo Tunno. The climb featured gradients peaking at 7%, but Bernal lost contact with the front group with just 1.5 kilometres remaining to the summit, raising concerns about his current condition. The Colombian’s difficulties forced him into a frantic chase on the descent, dropping him out of the virtual top 10 in the general classification. Fortunately, teammate Ben Turner waited to support Bernal, helping him bridge back to a small chase group that included GC contender Derek Gee. By the final 20 kilometres, Bernal had reduced his deficit to 25 seconds and managed to rejoin the lead group, finishing safely within a large pack. However, both Bernal and fellow Ineos rider Thymen Arensman slipped one place each in the overall standings, now occupying fourth and fifth respectively. Netcompany Ineos’ sporting director Leo Basso had described stage 4 as an “open” opportunity to apply pressure on rivals, but Bernal’s unexpected struggles have cast doubt over his readiness for the more demanding mountain stages ahead. While the time lost was minimal, the performance has sparked unease among observers who had hoped the former Giro champion would be a strong challenger to Jonas Vingegaard and other top contenders. Bernal has yet to comment publicly on his performance, leaving questions about his form and fitness unanswered as the race progresses. The incident highlights the unpredictable nature of Grand Tour racing, where even seemingly innocuous climbs can expose vulnerabilities in riders expected to contend for overall victory. With the Giro’s most challenging mountain tests still to come, Bernal and Netcompany Ineos will need to reassess their strategy and ensure he is in peak condition to remain a genuine threat. The coming stages will be crucial in determining whether Bernal can regain momentum or if his title defence faces an uphill battle.