'He'll be back': Egan Bernal expected to race in 2027 as Netcompany target return to Tour de France glory

Earlier this month, Bernal confirmed that he had been reflecting on his future in the sport, stating that his intention was, "for now," to begin the 2027 season. The 2019 Tour de France winner, who has a contract with Netcompany-Ineos until the end of 2029, had ended his 2026 campaign following the Tour de France.

Speaking to Italian website bici.pro, Cioni, who works across the team's performance and academy programmes, explained why Bernal had decided to end his season early and offered reassurance about his plans for next year.

"Bernal is a winner. He's not happy finishing tenth, and rightly so," Cioni said. "After riding the Giro and the Tour, he didn't feel he could still be competitive, so he preferred to end his season early. But he'll be back as normal for 2027."

Cioni also confirmed that Bernal attended the team's recent gathering in Copenhagen, where riders and staff came together as Netcompany-Ineos began preparations for the new season.

The comments offer a positive indication of Bernal's immediate plans, although they do not amount to a new public commitment from the Colombian himself.

On October 8, Bernal acknowledged that he needed time away from racing to recover mentally and physically after a demanding season.

"I don't know exactly what the next few years will hold for me, and I don't think I need to know everything at this moment either," he wrote at the time.

Bernal's career was dramatically altered by his life-threatening training crash in January 2022. Although he has since returned to a competitive level, the Colombian has struggled to rediscover the form that brought him victories at the 2019 Tour de France and 2021 Giro d'Italia.

His 2026 campaign included second place at the Tour of the Alps, fifth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and tenth overall at the Giro d'Italia, before he finished 20th at the Tour de France.

The update comes at a time when Netcompany-Ineos are looking to rediscover their winning formula under Dave Brailsford.

According to Cioni, the team's ambitions have become clear following Brailsford's return to a more prominent role.

Brailsford returned to a more active role in the cycling team in June 2025, having spent much of the previous period working at Manchester United following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment in the football club. 

His departure from United's board was formally confirmed in May 2026. He had already been involved in reshaping the cycling team's sporting structure, including the appointment of Geraint Thomas as Director of Racing ahead of the 2026 season.

"With Dave Brailsford, the ambition is clear: he wants to win the Tour de France again," Cioni said.

"With him, the mission is very clear, and meetings like this are important to make sure everyone is aligned, especially the staff."

The team recently gathered in Copenhagen, where riders and staff met with new title sponsor Netcompany as preparations for 2027 got underway.

The renewed ambitions come after several seasons in which the British team have struggled to replicate the dominance that brought them seven Tour de France victories between 2012 and 2019.

Cioni also highlighted the importance of the team's academy programme in its efforts to return to the top of the sport.

"Brailsford has been very clear: the academy only makes sense if it can deliver talent to the WorldTour team," Cioni said.

"And that isn't just about physical ability. We need complete riders who are already familiar with the way Netcompany operates and who understand how to race."