Eight months after the training crash which left him close to being paralysed, Egan Bernal returned to racing this week at the Tour of Denmark on Tuesday.
There had been speculation that the 2020 Tour de France and 2021 Giro d’Italia winner would line up at the Vuelta a España, which begins on Friday, for Ineos Grenadiers, but it was judged to be too early to rush the Colombian back into Grand Tour action. Instead, he started the relatively low-key Scandinavian race instead, which concludes on Saturday after five stages.
The Colombian underwent seven surgeries after the life-threatening crash, which saw him fracture his kneecap, femur, vertebrae and some of his ribs, as well as suffering a punctured lung and chest trauma. The 25-year-old collided with the back of a bus while training on his home roads in Colombia on his time trial bike; he later said that he was going at about 62 kph when it happened. For him to be back cycling at all is semi miraculous, and for him to be back racing so soon is incredible.
This story is from the August 18, 2022 edition of CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 18, 2022 edition of CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Claud Butler Criterium
A classic British brand ridden by beginners and Olympians alike
Dr Hutch
At what point does a bold show of strength become brazen showboating? The Doc ponders the etiquette of the long solo break
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT...CBD
From reducing pain to promoting relaxation and sleep, myriad are the claims made for cannabidiol but do they stack up? Rob Kemp finds out
Van Rysel D900
Andy Turner discovers whether Decathlon's high-spec, low-price smart trainer can compete with the likes of Wahoo, Tacx and Elite
What prep does my bike need for summer?
Pro bike mechanic Glen Whittington shares his tips for the successful de-hibernation of your bike
2024 GIRO D'ITALIA
Attention turns to Italy and 21 days of Grand Tour action
Pogačar's dominance at the Giro could be dull
While I may have been a little young to understand the full romance of the Tour de France during the Armstrong era, I never understood the sentiment that it was boring just because of Lance's dominance.
Team GB's Paris Olympics track bike launched
BC reveals the bike that it hopes will power riders to medals in Paris this summer
Romandie victory marks Ineos return to stage race success
Carlos Rodríguez wins British team's first WorldTour stage race since 2022, writes Adam Becket
Is pro racing getting more dangerous?
There are many factors that contribute to the perceived greater risks. One that does not get any attention is the greater importance of UCI points and the need to constantly collect them to avoid relegation.
