Egan Bernal "keen to go for the overall and finish as high up the ranking as possible" at the 2024 Tour de France

There's still no certainty that we'll see Egan Bernal at the Tour de France this summer, the Colombian reveals. But he also notes that if he does take part, he would like to see if he's got a realistic shot at the general classification, or if it would be wiser to go for stages, or even help another INEOS Grenadiers leader (stage winner from recently ended Critérium du Dauphiné Carlos Rodríguez is also listed for Grande Boucle.

First things first, Bernal's next schedule should only be determined after the on-going Tour de Suisse (June 9-16). Bernal opened the race with a solid 44th time in the short prologue. "It depends on if I go or not, but if I participate in the Tour, I’d be keen to go for the overall and finish as high up the ranking as possible. But if in the first couple of stages I lose five or six minutes, then I’ll recalibrate my objectives," he told L'Équipe.

His goal in the Tour de Suisse, he said, would be to "give the maximum for a result and at the same time keep in mind that the main objective is to reach the start of the Tour in the best form possible."

As for his top results in Catalunya and elsewhere this spring, he concluded, "It’s above all the result of a lot of hard work. I’m very pleased to see I’m back at a high level after everything that’s happened to me. It helps me stay calm."

After the Tour de Romandie, Bernal took a week off the bike, he says. "They’re basic things, but you have to do them well. Sometimes we overthink things but cycling is pretty simple. It’s mainly about if you train well, eat well, rest up and sleep. If your body is in good shape, form comes naturally."