“Good for my morale” – Bernal edges closer to top shape at the Vuelta a Espana

Stage 2 of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana produced fireworks in the closing meters, with Jonas Vingegaard powering past Giulio Ciccone to take the victory and the red jersey. Behind them, David Gaudu secured third place, while Egan Bernal rode strongly to finish just outside the podium in fourth. For the Colombian, who continues his long road back toward the level he showed before his career-threatening crash in 2022, the performance was an encouraging sign of progress.

Bernal admitted afterwards that he hadn’t lined up with ambitions of winning. “I actually didn’t think of fighting for the win. I started the stage with a different mindset," he told Colombian TV reporters. "Yet I found myself at the front, and decided to try my luck." That decision almost paid off, as he clung to the wheel of the leaders in the furious uphill finale, only surrendering the podium spot to Gaudu in the final push.

What mattered most, however, was the sense that Bernal is once again competing alongside the best in the world. "It’s good for my morale to be up there," he said. "There was quite a bit of stress in the bunch, as is usual in the first week of a Grand Tour." The chaos was amplified by a mid-stage crash that brought down several riders, including eventual stage winner Vingegaard, though Bernal managed to stay clear and maintain his rhythm.

Support from his Ineos Grenadiers teammates proved invaluable during a tense day of racing. "Luckily, I felt very protected all day long thanks to teammates like Ben [Turner], Pippo [Filippo Ganna], Kwiato' [Michał Kwiatkowski]… I came out alright from the stage thanks to them.” With the team riding cohesively around him, Bernal was able to save energy for the finale and position himself with the leaders when it mattered most.

The outcome of the stage highlighted both the strength of Vingegaard, who wasted no chance to strike early in the race, and the form of riders like Ciccone and Gaudu, who pushed him to the limit. For Bernal, being part of that select group underlined his steady return to form.