Busy spring for Egan Bernal? Tour de France winner set to continue red hot form after double national title glory
Cycling
What a few days it has been for Egan Bernal. After waiting years for a victory, two have arrived in quick succession, and it’s been an impressive start to 2025 for the Colombian.
Last week, Bernal took his first win since the 2021 Giro d'Italia, triumphing first in the national time trial, and then yesterday he won the road race too! These victories were more than just a race result, it was a symbol of perseverance after years of struggle following his life-threatening training crash in early 2022. Could we finally get the Bernal of 2019 to 2021 back this year?
The significance of these victories cannot be overstated. His long road back to the top has been riddled with setbacks, injuries, and doubts about whether he could ever return to his best. Before his national championship victory, it had been 1,354 days since Bernal came out first during a race, a staggering wait for a rider who once looked destined to dominate Grand Tours for years to come. His severe accident a few years ago left him with multiple fractures, requiring intensive rehabilitation just to be able to ride again, let alone compete at the highest level.
Now, with these two wins under his belt, Bernal’s confidence appears to be returning. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, his upcoming race calendar for the spring includes Clásica Jaén later this month, followed by the Vuelta a Andalucia, Strade Bianche, and Tirreno-Adriatico. These races will be key in determining whether he is ready to return to Grand Tour podium contention. Reports suggest that the Vuelta a Espana could be his primary target for the season, marking his first time leading the INEOS Grenadiers in a Grand Tour since his accident.
Bernal’s resurgence is not just a personal victory but a significant boost for his team, a team desperately looking for a leader and a grand tour threat.
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- You nailed it Mr S.Cyclingsbestfan22-03-2025
- Now everybody knows about it Mads! Compressed brocoli? I know it is supposed to be good for you, but is high on my list of least favourite vegetablesCyclingsbestfan22-03-2025
- Again Armstrong posts get so much more response than any other posts on this site, and it is you guys that are making it easy for them to post more about Armstrong. Just check over the last 6 months and you will see the response is over 10x over other posts. Stop complaining and do not post or hit the like button, you are playing right into there hands.
Senna196022-03-2025 - i realize that Tommy knows VOLUMES more about his craft than i do, and i realize he maybe wasn’t bothering to give the most highly thought out answers of all time here, BUT… if mathieu gets to the TOP of the poggio first, how exactly is it that GANNA gets to the BOTTOM ahead of him? maybe the “frame pump in the spokes” trick from Breaking Away? ganna isn’t exactly what you’d call a gifted descender, and i’ve noticed mvdp is a PRETTY DECENT bike handler at any speed, not too shabby at cornering and accelerating… I’m glad tom feels good, though. it’ll be a really fun race. (but if van der poel DOES get to the top first, it’s over.)OCexile21-03-2025
- Don't think patience is something Tadej understands, he'll go when he feels its right to goslappers6621-03-2025
- And the final answer is …….MAYBE!mobk21-03-2025
- Agreed. Am Slovenian but she's strange rider, either the terrain fully suits her and she can be a leader or she's completely useless riding at the backvappaxbipmv21-03-2025
- My thoughts as well. The constant insertion of Armstrong, Bruyneel and even Hincrapie into news stories tends to give it away.
ScottG21-03-2025 - just because others were doping doesn't really excuse what LA was doing, especially how ruthless he was towards others. Can we just stop listening to him and his pals already?Crashjames21-03-2025
- Nathan is becoming my favorite ex-pro commentatorCrashjames21-03-2025