Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) has stated he’s nonetheless not completely sure if he’ll do the Tour de France this summer time, however that if he does participate, he wish to see if an general classification bid was doable.
The Colombian is at present down to participate within the Tour de Suisse, a race he gained in 2019, the identical 12 months that he gained the Tour de France. He beforehand raced within the Tour de Romandie, previous to spending a month again residence in South America.
Following his life-threatening crash of early 2022 and return to racing, Bernal’s general situation has improved steadily, with a third place within the Volta a Catalunya this March his first WorldTour podium since his comeback.
Now again for extra racing in Europe and talking to L’Équipe, Bernal stated he was not but positive if he was going to be a part of Ineos Grenadiers line-up of the Tour. If he went, he can be eager to see if the general classification was a sensible chance, however conscious that it could possibly be an concept that was very quickly snuffed out, too.
“It is determined by if I’m going or not, but when I take part within the Tour, I’d be eager to go for the general and end as excessive up the rating as doable. But when within the first couple of levels I lose 5 – 6 minutes, then I’ll recalibrate my goals,” he stated.
His purpose within the Tour de Suisse, he stated, can be to “give the utmost for a outcome and on the identical time remember the fact that the principle goal is to achieve the beginning of the Tour in one of the best kind doable.”
As for his prime leads to Catalunya and elsewhere this spring, he concluded, “It’s above all teh results of lots of laborious work. I’m very happy to see I’m again at a excessive degree after every part that’s occurred to me. It helps me keep calm.”
Whereas not one of the absolute standout GC contenders for July are collaborating on this 12 months’s Tour de Suisse, the lineup is a robust one nonetheless. Adam Yates (UAE Staff Emirates) and Richard Carapaz (EF Schooling-EasyPost), each former Tour de France podium finishers, are racing alongside Bernal along with Enric Mas (Movistar) and 3 times former Tour de Suisse winner Rui Costa (EF Schooling-EasyPost).
Loads of the youthful weapons within the present peloton may also be current for Sunday’s opening prologue in Vaduz, together with Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ), Joao Almeida and Isaac del Toro (each UAE Staff Emirates), defending champion Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Austrian climber Felix Gall (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale), Visma-Lease A Bike’s Cian Uijtdebroeks and Bernal’s teammate Tom Pidcock.
After the Tour de Romandie, the place he took tenth general, Bernal has now returned to Switzerland for his subsequent race. Between the 2, he instructed L’Équipe he had first spent practically every week off the bike then began over a month of coaching, switching between quantity and particular efforts as his a part of his buildup for the second half of the season.
“They’re basic items, however it’s important to do them nicely. Typically we overthink issues however biking is fairly easy. It’s primarily about for those who practice nicely, eat nicely, relaxation up and sleep. In case your physique is in fine condition, kind comes naturally.”
