"He could still win a Grand Tour" - Egan Bernal hailed as a 'true champion' as INEOS leader surges into Giro d'Italia contention

Given all that has happened in the career of Egan Bernal since his Giro d'Italia triumph back in 2021, it's truly incredible to see the INEOS Grenadiers leader right back in the mix for the Maglia Rosa at the 2025 edition of the Italian Grand Tour.

On stage 7, Bernal looked better than he has done in a long time, finishing 3rd and losing just 4 seconds to stage winner Juan Ayuso. "The ride of the day for me, save from Juan Ayuso, was Egan Bernal," declared Matt Stephens on TNT Sports' post-stage 7 analysis show The Breakaway. "I was cheering for that lad. The guy was nearly out of the sport; it could have been worse, but Egan is putting up the best numbers of his life. That was a ride of real redemption and greatness from Egan."

"He broke his back out training a few years ago in Colombia," continues Stephens, detailing some of the rough roads the Colombian has travelled in reacent years. "Basically, he was on his TT bike, looked round and hit the back of a stationary bus. It was looking like he would not be able to walk again, but he has had the backing of the team, he has fought, and he is slowly getting back to his best. In fact, at the moment, according to him, he is putting out the best numbers of his career. Yes, we are in a different world now, and other riders have overtaken him, but that was a superb ride."

"He's also recently broken a collarbone as well," adds Australian sprint legend Robbie McEwen, further highlighting the impressiveness of Bernal's return to top form. "He just keeps getting up and keeps coming back. It is just so good to see him back at the podium of a race with the stage win up for grabs."

And whilst the Giro d'Italia is obviously the race in focus right now, former British national champion Adam Blythe is backing Bernal to complete his set of Grand Tour wins later this year. "I know this is the race on right now, but Egan for the Vuelta. He is a true champion," Blythe raves. "When he was younger and he won the Tour de France and the Giro, you thought he was going to win five Grand Tours. He could still win a Grand Tour with the form that he showed today, but the struggle to get there... we have no idea how hard and how difficult that was."

"For him to have been where he was and where he is now is almost beyond belief," concludes Blythes analysis. "It is so, so impressive."