Bernal's neurosurgeon confident that he can return to racing in May

Gustavo Uriza is a neurosurgeon at the La Sábana clinic in Colombia, where Egan Bernal was hospitalized for several weeks after his training accident. In a recent press conference, Uriza has talked about the INEOS Grenadiers rider's recovery, and when he can be expected to return to competition.

Uriza has said: "From the 120th day after the accident, I think Egan can return to his maximum power, get on the pedals and resume competition, in shape. His coaches in Europe are the ones who have to give the green light. But as far as I'm concerned, he's ready at that point." A four month recovery period would see Bernal back to racing in the end of May, in a month from now.

In the accident, Bernal suffered 11 broken ribs, a broken femur, broken kneecap, fractures in the T5 and T6 vertebras, fractured odontoid, fractured metacarpal, a broken thumb, a broken tooth and a perforation in both lungs. This horrific list of injuries has given way to one of the most miraculous recoveries in cycling's long history. He was given a 95% chance of either dying or becoming paraplegic, but not only has he been treated to the point of not sustaining life-changing issues, he got back on the bike in the last month and has been training already with sights on a return to the peloton - just three months after the crash.