Teams & Riders The official Egan Bernal is the new Egan Bernal thread

[gregrowlerson]

Bernal targets Giro d'Italia as Ineos send Thomas, Geoghegan Hart, Carapaz to Tour de France

Brailsford says Bernal needs to 'find the joy of racing' as he embeds new expansive philosophy

www.cyclingnews.com

Interesting.

 

[KZD]

Giro - Olympics- Vuelta would be a really good schedule for him.

 

[Red Rick]

Reckon Bernal requested to go to the Giro? Imagine Ineos is happy enough to through all eggs in Thomas' basket for the Tour. Especailly considering Bernal's not the hottest favorite on that Tour route.

 

[Escarabajo]

I think Bernal's confidence was greatly damaged last year, therefore the change of plans for him. I was suspecting something like this would happen. However the door seems to be open in case of something going wrong at the Giro. If not injury related. JB also made comments about him not being happy. So I agree with him if that is case. Something else could have happened at the Tour last year that made JB and Bernal change the plans. Bernal looked very discouraged.

My opinion is that it will be great for him and the spectacle to go to the Giro. Italy is like his second home and he always wanted to do the Giro.

 

[Escarabajo]

Quickly getting back in shape.
Good to see him very active in the break away!

 

[Sciatic]

I think Bernal's confidence was greatly damaged last year, therefore the change of plans for him. I was suspecting something like this would happen. However the door seems to be open in case of something going wrong at the Giro. If not injury related. JB also made comments about him not being happy. So I agree with him if that is case. Something else could have happened at the Tour last year that made JB and Bernal change the plans. Bernal looked very discouraged.

My opinion is that it will be great for him and the spectacle to go to the Giro. Italy is like his second home and he always wanted to do the Giro.

Great for us viewers as well!!

 

[Oldermanish]

I think Bernal's confidence was greatly damaged last year, therefore the change of plans for him. I was suspecting something like this would happen. However the door seems to be open in case of something going wrong at the Giro. If not injury related. JB also made comments about him not being happy. So I agree with him if that is case. Something else could have happened at the Tour last year that made JB and Bernal change the plans. Bernal looked very discouraged.

My opinion is that it will be great for him and the spectacle to go to the Giro. Italy is like his second home and he always wanted to do the Giro.

If his back was hurt it may take more than one season to rehab and learn a riding position that doesn't cause it again. The Giro would seem to be right up his alley anyway. He's a brilliant climber on terrain that rewards it and it would be great for fans.

 

[repre]

He looks good to me!

 

[elastico]

Lots of positives. Getting those racing kilometers as he is building his base form towards Giro; easiness of outsprinting Ala in the final meters, even that we know who worked in that chasing group; finally, a clever little dig to disrupt Ala's tempo. It made me laugh when the Frenchman was clearly unhappy with Egan, having chased him, to realise he was being being played with

 

[tobydawq]

Yes, great showing. Really encouraging after last year.

 

[Escarabajo]

Good to see him ride like this. Hope to have him in great shape at the Giro. I think it was a good choice for him going to the Giro.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Hopefully his back will hold up and continue to get stronger. Good ride.

 

[elastico]

Great to see Egan stepping up his sprinting abilities. Surely, he got tired of being systematically outsprinted by Primoz last season, and he must've spent some time working on his peak power

 

[elastico]

Very, very happy. A very dogged performance and always good to see Tour de France winners (Pogacar too) not waiting to show their faces until July

 

[SafeBet]

He's back!

 

[topcat]

Skineous to pull him from the giro and send him to the tour?

 

[BlueRoads]

Skineous to pull him from the giro and send him to the tour?

Way better for him, imo, to do the Giro and the Olympics, in case they happen. And then, next year, if his back is good, he can bring it to the Tour again.

 

[johnymax]

He surprised me today. I expected him to do well (top 10ish) but not to be in a front group of three with Alaf and MvdP. Excellent early seasons signs for him.

 

[limak_]

I'd love to see him on this year's tour, however, like it was said, it's probably better form him to ride Giro, put a little bit less pressure on his shoulders this season, let his back issue improve as much as possible and then go for a second yellow jersey in '22.

 

[Bolder]

If he could podium today after x km of bone rattling sterrato, then I think his back is mostly better.

 

[Netserk]

I thought (don't know!) the problem was longer ascents?

 

[will-10]

Great to see him back going that well. Giro/Olympics is a perfect program for him if he's healthy, hope it doesn't change.

 

[Cookster15]

I thought (don't know!) the problem was longer ascents?

I'm no physician, but the back suffers due to pressure and wear and tear. The maximal forces acting upon your back in a race like today will always be more severe than in a grand tour raced over three weeks including long climbs where the pressure and watts are never as high as today. But maybe this is just my optimism for Bernal who I like as a rider?

But on the pessimist side, injury can also result from overuse (wear and tear). So I guess there is chance if his back is not fully healed it could cause problems again. But having suffered lumber problems myself I know that you can prevent such issues by strengthening your core which stabilizes the lower back. I would assume Ineos would have Bernal on a program to do just that. Lets see what eventuates but great show from him recently.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Hopefully another step on his road to recovery - another top ride from Egan; coming 3rd in Strade is an excellent result.

 

[Escarabajo]

Excellent result from Bernal. Hopefully he didn't hurt his back with this effort. Looks to be fully recuperated.