Egan Bernal tired of comparisons with Tadej Pogacar: "I have already won the race for life, if that means being 30th in the Tour, I would be happy"

Egan Bernal is tired of the press asking him if he is going to recover to his best level after the terrible accident he suffered last year that almost cost him his life. He no longer wishes to be spoken to regarding whether or not he will be able to compete with Tadej Pogacar.

"If you don't live it, you won't understand it," Bernal explains. "I'm not saying I'm not going to achieve it, but people keep asking when I'll be at my best again, when we'll see Egan against Pogacar or Roglic, etc. I would like to, but if it doesn't happen, okay. I've already won the race for life."

He makes it clear that he demands the maximum from himself, but he compares his level now with his level prior and not with other rivals in order to give his maximum possible. "It would be very sad for me not to push myself to the maximum right now. I compare myself, trying to push my body to the limit every day," he says. "Even if I get dropped in the first kilometre, I try to finish the climb as fast as I can and I look at my numbers and compare them to a month ago, two months ago."

Therefore, he does not set any objectives such as winning another Tour de France if he indeed ends up racing the three-week stage race. "If that means being 30th on the Tour, I'd be happy with that, like second, first or whatever. Without a back or knee problem that prevents me from giving 100%."