Egan Bernal clarifies: "I'm not retiring."

Egan Bernal will not be hanging up his bike. The Colombian champion from Netcompany-Ineos has personally responded officially to the recent press rumors that suggested he would make a dramatic exit from professional cycling. In a long and moving statement posted on his Instagram profile, the winner of the 2019 Tour de France and the 2021 Giro d'Italia sought to clarify his personal and sporting future.

The Tour and Giro winner has cemented his place in the peloton. "I have a contract with the team until the end of 2029 , and my intention is to start next season," he said.

Bernal explained the reasons behind his decision to end his racing season early after the Tour de France, feeling the urgent need to stop, unplug, and regain the mental tranquility lost due to the suffocating pace of racing.

The decision to take time and space was fully shared by the team and his entourage, who are all on the same page. While he doesn't know what the next few years will bring, Bernal is clear: as long as he continues to compete, he wants to do so with the physical and mental health needed to be competitive and make a difference, not simply out of habit.

Now that the threat of retirement has been averted, we hope to see Egan Bernal back in shape and with a passion for racing as early as the beginning of 2027 .