He is still competitive and seems to be getting a little bit better as the season goes on, that is promising. Small steps in the right direction at least.
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He seems to have comparable results to his 2017 season. Maybe he's 2 years away from being back at his 2019 fitness ?
Closer to 2018 come the Tour I think, maybe even better. I still think there's enough room to improve before TdF this year due to his crashes earlier in the season.Its unfortunate though, these crashes have really hurt him and he was really good early on in the season, but he just got back luck after bad luck. Finally looking bright though!
We'll tell more in the few coming days, but being at the front group at the Dauphine in a medium mountain stage is not comparable to when he was competing at a Continental level, IMHO. We'll see.
He's made some significant improvement but there isn't time before the Tour to accomplish much more. He doesn't adjust well to the tempo changes, at least today he didn't. Those accelerations are not as harsh as what's coming next month and I think he needs more strength to get to that next level. I'm not sure what his posture indicated but he was torqued to the left on prolonged efforts today. That could just be fatigue or lingering "tell" of his back issues. He's had so many hits that it's hard to tell but his legs actually seemed OK.
As expected he’s just not near his pre-crash form at all… Hope he just goes for a stage victory at the TDF because he isn’t going to ride a proper GC
He went really really deep and stayed inside his current lines..no reason to go into the red and he looked like he was ok and turning over the gear really well.. If he gets anything from the season his form constantly improving and he looks like a win or podium is not far off..really really impressive..
People keep repeating like if he was going to challenge Vingegaard or Pogacar. He was just some seconds off from the other losers. Who is going for third at the Tour? O'connor? Carapaz? Hindley? Adam? what about top ten? If I am the sponsor and I see him coming back riding like this and I'll tell him we are going t challenge for top ten at the Vuelta. Huh? No, no we are hunting for stages because Hindley, Oconno'r, Adam and Carapaz are too strong for him to challenge for top 10. whut?
Come on, He is not going for the win. Stop looking at him like if he was going to challenge for the win or podium at the Tour. But below the top two there is a big gap in performance. You got to at least try to go a make the top ten. Once you are done go for the stages if he can. But there is nothing to lose sending him to the Tour for top ten first.
Come on, He is not going for the win. Stop looking at him like if he was going to challenge for the win or podium at the Tour. But below the top two there is a big gap in performance. You got to at least try to go a make the top ten. Once you are done go for the stages if he can. But there is nothing to lose sending him to the Tour for top ten first.
Me too. I'd like to see Egan back to 100%, he's way too young to be sidelined forever because of an injury.
Froome never got back, Alaf'? Not yet. Pinot? Not quite. And the list goes on and on. Le Tour, even La Vuelta are too early considering his form now. If he ends up 15th, Bernal is left with as many questions as answers. He needs to get himself back into shape, back in the mix, and believe again. He's going through a lot right now. We can't be impatient.
Bernal's shape is good 3 weeks before the tour. There's room to improvements, but of course he will not be able to follow pogacar or vingegaard even in his top shape.
He should go to the tour. He can do top 5.
He should go to the tour. He can do top 5.
I agree but still wonder how fatigue affects his rhythm? He was pressed on 7% grades and should have been able to find a gear to maintain a less strained posture where he isn't twisting up. Certainly time and fitness helps but I wonder if he's really gone back to square one on technique instead of forcing his legs to do everything. Jonas looked like he was riding a fixed gear by comparison.
It's not like he lost 10 minutes, but 1:27 on the queen stage of the hardest non-GT race in the world. I'd say, considering what he's been through, that is rather impressive.
I'm not quite sure I understand today's cycling, because once upon a time how Bernal finished the stage, given where he's come from, would have been viewed as a promissing sign he's on track for finding his real climbing legs at the Tour. In today's cycling being dropped by a minute and a half seems rather an ominous indication of being totally out of all contention.
I'm not quite sure I understand today's cycling, because once upon a time how Bernal finished the stage, given where he's come from, would have been viewed as a promissing sign he's on track for finding his real climbing legs at the Tour. In today's cycling being dropped by a minute and a half seems rather an ominous indication of being totally out of all contention.
The hardest non GT race is definetly Tour de Suisse. For some reason, GT riders don't like to race there anymore.
To the bold. I agree with you. How you view the gaps depends on how fans view it as well. Especially in this forum. I still consider what he did great knowing from where he came from.
You think? I've always thought the Dauphine was the preferred choice of the Tour Bigs to fine tune over TdS. It's rare someone goes for TdS as a primary goal, whilst there aren't normally the same Bigs as at the Dauphine.
I don't know if it's harder or easier. But the Dauphiné because it is located in France, with many climbs that are often found in the TdF, they probably find it better to find the same feelings as in the TdF.
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I have seen so many changes in 1 month in the history of cycling. Because there are other variables that just the same mountains. Maybe not for Vingegaard but for the other ones many things can happen.
No and I don't think he did today either.. He stayed in control the entire day.. the entire race..lots of respect for not testing or doing multiple off the front tests to see if he could get a gap..or went from way out and try and win a stage.. Looks like he has something bigger in mind for his future.. I would loved to see him take a stage, but seeing him finish up in the front is nothing short of fantastic.. Really really hard and probably unfair to compare Froome because of his age..
Egan being 2:18 off today was impressive..
What impressed me that Bernal didn't do is what impressed me that Alaphilippe tried.. he paid for it but awesome effort..Dauphine was a perfect race in my opinion.. Racers,race design, camera work and competition.. Everything outstanding
The week earlier might play a big part too
Yes, and the weather is often better as well,
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