Egan Bernal close to returning to the Tour de France

Egan Bernal close to returning to the Tour de France

A return to one of the big three stage races could be close for Egan Bernal. According to reports in Gazzetta dello Sport, the Colombian, who turned 26 on Jan. 13, has reportedly been by Ineos-Grenadiers on the team’s list of participants in the Tour de France, which will begin Saturday, July 1, in Bilbao.

Bernal has not participated in a grand tour since the Vuelta a Espana 2021, in which he finished sixth. Then, on January 24, 2022, the terrible accident in which he almost lost his life: during a training ride on a time trial bike he ended up at 60 mph against a bus. He miraculously saved himself and is now ready to return to the Grande Boucle since he showed progress at the Tour of Dauphiné.

Bernal made his Tour debut in 2018 by placing 15th, then won it the following year, and also in 2019 he finished third in a one-day monument classic like the Tour of Lombardy. In his only participation in the Giro d’Italia, in 2021, he won the Campo Felice stage, his ninth, wearing the pink jersey, which he did not let go of until the end, also winning in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

That in the pink race two years ago is still his last victory, and he is unlikely to aim for the yellow jersey, but this Tour could mark another stage in his recovery to high levels.