'We can feel the devastation' - Netcompany Ineos questioned over 'frustrating' Ben Turner and Egan Bernal drama on Stage 4 of Giro d'Italia
Updated 13/05/2026 at 11:54 GMT+1
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TNT Sports experts Robbie McEwen and Adam Blythe criticised Netcompany Ineos' choice to send Ben Turner back to support struggling team leader Egan Bernal on Stage 4 of the Giro d'Italia.
'It shouldn’t have to be Ben Turner' – Ineos blasted after Brit denied shot at Giro stage win
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Britain's Turner appeared to have a shot at a stage win as part of a group of riders at the front. But with joint-team leader Bernal trailing behind, having struggled on the critical Category 2 climb, Turner was sacrificed.
He dropped back to help Bernal cut the gap and maintain his general classification ambitions, and in the final sprint, Turner could only finish fourth, with Jhonatan Narvaez (UAE Emirates-XRG) taking the stage win.
"We could feel the devastation, even from here," said McEwen on the Breakaway.
"I really feel for him because he did such a good ride to hang in there, for a guy with a fast finish, who would have been capable of going head-to-head with Jhonathan Narvaez for the stage victory.
"If I can level some criticism, there are other riders in that team who should have been there to do that job.
"Ben Turner, if he hung in there, he was a potential stage winner. There should be others in that team who have the skillset and the responsibility to be there in that moment to look after Egan Bernal. It shouldn’t have to be Ben Turner.
"It’s got to be really frustrating for Ben Turner to be put in that position when normally someone else would be doing it. It’s got to be so tough.”
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Highlights: Narvaez storms to Stage 4 victory as Ciccone snatches pink jersey
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Bernal is currently fourth in the Giro d'Italia general classification standings, four seconds behind leader Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek).
He started the Giro as the joint-team leader of Ineos along with Thymen Arensman, who is fifth in the overall standings, two seconds behind Bernal.
Blythe suggested Ineos must consider their team dynamics after prioritising the Colombian.
"Yes, it’s early in the race and you could argue that he’s riding himself into it, but how long will he be protected? That’s something the team need to look at. Ben might not get that chance again this whole race," said Blythe.
"Bernal might lose 10 minutes on Blockhaus [on Stage 7] - and if he does, it’s back to Ben and going, ‘Well done, it’s part of your job, mate’. They need to pick one leader."
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'I had a lot of legs' - Turner on 'big disappointment' after sacrificing Stage 4
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Turner admitted in his post-stage interview that the outcome was a "big disappointment".
"It feels like a big disappointment, to be fair," he said. "I had good legs.
"It was good to look after Egan and I'm really happy he didn't lose time. Personally, I had good legs and that was nice. I was climbing with some really good guys. It was nice to have that feeling again. It's good to know the shape's there at least."
Asked about Bernal's struggles and whether he wondered what might have been, Turner added: "After the rest day and easy stages, it's quite a normal thing because it was explosive climbing, so it's not a big stress.
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"He's for sure got the level and it doesn't change anything for us. [There is] still a lot of confidence in him, and it was just about managing the effort. We committed to the GC plan.
"I'd like to win. It maybe would've been a different result, but we're here to do a team job, we have priorities and I'm really proud of the performance as a team.
"We're riding really well as a group and looking forward to the rest of the days."
Bernal said he was grateful for Turner's support and that without it he would have lost time to his GC rivals.
”He was great. He has helped me already in a few mountain stages, he can climb really well," said Bernal ahead of Stage 5.
"I said to him before the Giro that he is already a climber. He did a great job.
”It’s kind of sad because we saw at the end that he could win the stage if he doesn’t wait for me, but the team took the decision and I just had to thank him because without him I would be minutes down in the GC. This is teamwork and I really hope he can win a stage at the Giro because he deserves it.”
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