Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) has mentioned 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 total classification bid was doable.
The Colombian is at the moment down to participate within the Tour de Suisse, a race he received in 2019, the identical yr that he received the Tour de France. He beforehand raced within the Tour de Romandie, previous to spending a month again house in South America.
Following his life-threatening crash of early 2022 and return to racing, Bernal’s total situation has improved steadily, with a 3rd 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 mentioned 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 could be eager to see if the general classification was a practical chance, however conscious that it might be an concept that was very quickly snuffed out, too.
“It will depend on 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 mentioned.
His objective within the Tour de Suisse, he mentioned, could be to “give the utmost for a consequence and on the identical time needless to say the principle goal is to succeed in the beginning of the Tour in the most effective kind doable.”
As for his prime leads to Catalunya and elsewhere this spring, he concluded, “It’s above all teh results of loads of exhausting work. I’m very happy to see I’m again at a excessive stage after every thing 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 yr’s Tour de Suisse, the lineup is a robust one nonetheless. Adam Yates (UAE Workforce Emirates) and Richard Carapaz (EF Schooling-EasyPost), each former Tour de France podium finishers, are racing alongside Bernal along with Enric Mas (Movistar) and thrice former Tour de Suisse winner Rui Costa (EF Schooling-EasyPost).
Loads of the youthful weapons within the present peloton may even be current for Sunday’s opening prologue in Vaduz, together with Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ), Joao Almeida and Isaac del Toro (each UAE Workforce 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 total, Bernal has now returned to Switzerland for his subsequent race. Between the 2, he informed 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 properly. Generally we overthink issues however biking is fairly easy. It’s primarily about should you prepare properly, eat properly, relaxation up and sleep. In case your physique is in good condition, kind comes naturally.”
