Egan Bernal does not see Nairo Quintana as favourite for the Colombian Nationals: "For example Dani Martinez. You can't give him a metre"

Egan Bernal did not have much luck in his debut at the national championships of Colombia 2024. The INEOS Grandiers rider did not have a good time trial because he started with too many watts and ended up paying dearly for it.

"I wanted to go out to make watts so I could win the race and in the end, I paid for it. I was totally empty, but I'm happy with the sensations. It's good to start with a time trial, it's complicated but it's nice that these National Championships have already started," he commented after the race to Caracol TV.

FAVOURITES.

On who he thinks are the favourites to win, he named 3 cyclists: Daniel Martinez, Sergio Higuita and Esteban Chaves. He left out illustrious veterans such as Nairo Quintana and Rigoberto Urán.

"In the Nationals there are cyclists that you have in your sights because they are very good, they ride a lot and they are always very good, like for example 'Dani' Martinez. You can't give him a metre because he is one of the favourites. The same goes for Higuita, because he has it clear for those circuits, as well as Chaves, who won last year. They are cyclists that, if they move a meter, you have to be there because if not you have to chase, turn the race and well, that's it," he said to RCN.

"I still don't have a clear idea of what my calendar is going to be like," Bernal says of his racing programme for 2024. "Of the Grand Tours, I think I'll be in the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, although I don't completely rule out the Giro d'Italia. It's a race that I like a lot, I hope to have a good season and that the team will decide where to go."