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

[tobydawq]

According to Eurosport he had to retire due to abrasion on the skin, especially on the hands. Contador went ballistic on Eurosport criticizing the riders that do that. They don't understand why they do it since now technology allows them to pick any type of gloves. He went further to say, imagine that one of the main riders had to retire from a GT because they are not using the gloves. That is unforgivable.

Can anybody here tell me why riders don't use gloves other than for esthetics, which is what Contador and Flecha were alluding as the main reason for not wearing them?

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racing/ineos-grenadiers-remain-committed-to-selecting-egan-bernal-for-tour-de-france

Some people say it's an aerodynamic advantage to ride without gloves.

 

[Elos Anjos]

Like any instrument, gloves are ambiguous. They provide some advantages but at the same time disadvantages. It's up to each rider to choose what fits him. And with gloves, if you fall, you can always have abrasion in your fingers.

 

[Escarabajo]

It looks like they told Bernal to worry more about finishing a race than positioning and trying hard to finish up front. At the same time He is doing quality miles working for his teammates.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Egan doesn‘t climb with the best in Tour of the Basque Country… Quite surprising - in January, his form was promising… Hard to say what‘s the reason, but he was injured a lot, recently…

 

[jaylew]

With your bare hands you are more in control. MVDP always ride gloveless.

That's just not true. I rode without gloves for my first couple of years as a cyclist but it took two crashes for me to never do it again. In one, my sweaty hand slipped off the handlebar when I hit a slight bump and in the other one of my hands was completely chewed up in a crash. I've since been in wrecks where my glove was completely ripped on the palm. Without a glove it would have been my skin. You have less control without gloves because you have less grip. And while MVDP usually rides without them, particularly on the road, it's not true to say he always rides gloveless. I can show you a ton of pics with him wearing them and I'm not just talking about races where he's using them due to cold. And he almost always wears them in the discipline where you need the most control, mtb.

 

[Peyroteo94]

That's just not true. I rode without gloves for my first couple of years as a cyclist but it took two crashes for me to never do it again. In one, my sweaty hand slipped off the handlebar when I hit a slight bump and in the other one of my hands was completely chewed up in a crash. I've since been in wrecks where my glove was completely ripped on the palm. Without a glove it would have been my skin. You have less control without gloves because you have less grip. And while MVDP usually rides without them, particularly on the road, it's not true to say he always rides gloveless. I can show you a ton of pics with him wearing them and I'm not just talking about races where he's using them due to cold. And he almost always wears them in the discipline where you need the most control, mtb.

He wasn't riding with gloves in Paris Roubaix. I thought that he was amazing, crazy and dumb at the same time.

 

[Escarabajo]

It might work for some people, but I never ride gloveless because my hands get sweaty and they hurt more after a while. Not sure what the problem is with the gloves becuase nowadays they have some of the best quality gloves that are very slick and adhere to the hand very well.

 

[Escarabajo]

Very encouraging results. This result was very important for him. Just to show that he can be competitive again after the accident is very important. After all he went through he needed something like this to gain confidence. But his main objective should be the Vuelta. However he needs a lot more rhythm than this. The Tour could be still in his calendar.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I really wonder if Ineos/Bernal are planning on the Tour. The smart thing is obviously the Vuelta at this point, but Ineos are very thin in TdF this year, and so they might decide to roll the dice.

 

[Andy schleck]

I really wonder if Ineos/Bernal are planning on the Tour. The smart thing is obviously the Vuelta at this point, but Ineos are very thin in TdF this year, and so they might decide to roll the dice.

Why the smart thing is the vuelta? After what he showed today, 2 months is enough to get bernal in top shape to the tour. He is already in good shape.

 

[tobydawq]

Why the smart thing is the vuelta? After what he showed today, 2 months is enough to get bernal in top shape to the tour. He is already in good shape.

Probably because Bernal doing Vuelta is their best chance for a GT win. Even if he reaches his best level, he isn't beating Pogacar and Vingegaard, and then there isn't that much reason to change the plan.

 

[Salvarani]

Yeah, Bernal should not rush and go to the Tour. He should go to Vuelta this year.

Looking at their Tour squad right now... Rodriguez, Martinez and Pidcock are three good riders/potential leaders.

If Pidcock wants to give it a go and test himself to ride for GC, for as long as he can, it is a good opportunity. Maybe he just rides in a free role and go for stages, while the others try to get a decent GC-result.

Wouldnt be totally surprised if Thomas rides the Tour after the Giro, depending on what happens.

 

[Red Rick]

I really wonder if Ineos/Bernal are planning on the Tour. The smart thing is obviously the Vuelta at this point, but Ineos are very thin in TdF this year, and so they might decide to roll the dice.

Timeline to the Tour isn't that bad. Bernal got clapped on Prati di Tivo in Tirreno the year he won the Giro. Thomas and Froome have also done Tour GC after being worse than this in Romandie.

If it doesn't pan out, you can obviously quickly switch to stagehunting.

The only reason to not be optimistic I can see is the weather really suited him today and he might have been worse in perfect weather and high W/kg conditions.

 

[KZD]

For me Bernal riding the Tour makes sense. Ineos may have other options for the Tour GC but none of them is a Tour leader material.

Martinez is talented but has been surprisingly bad this season and his best GT was ridden as a domestique for Bernal.
Rodriguez showed promise in last year's Vuelta but I can't see him have the level needed to fight for the podium
Pidcock is still unproven as a GC rider and he might take it easier and just go stage hunting because of the World Championships.

There is always the option of someone coming from their Giro squad to the Tour if they abandon the race early but even then, Bernal deserves at least a co-leader status, he can do the Vuelta afterwards if he feels good.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I can see it. If Carlos Rodriguez wasn't injured or something is wrong (I assume he is) and Felipe Martinez wasn't straight up bad this year, Vuelta is obvious IMO. I don't believe in Pidcock for GC at all - yet at least. So it might actually be the case this year which off course would be super interesting, even though the chances of winning are very small.

I could see a podium though

 

[Cookster15]

Probably because Bernal doing Vuelta is their best chance for a GT win. Even if he reaches his best level, he isn't beating Pogacar and Vingegaard, and then there isn't that much reason to change the plan.

You are likely right. But I wonder if there is a theoretical chance he can get to a higher level than we saw in 2019? Remember when he won the tour he was only 22.

 

[Salvarani]

I just dont think it would be good for him to go to the Tour this year.

This has been the first good race he has had in a long time... and people directly think it would be wise/make sense for him to go to the Tour? Even if he could probably make the start... I think that would be rushing and forcing it, but what do I know.

I hope him and the team know what they are doing.

My idea would be taking this as a confidence boost in the step towards the Vuelta. Maybe do Suisse before going into a rest and training period. Then Sebastian, Burgos and Vuelta. Like in 2021.

Tour in 2024, if he has a good second half of this season.

 

[Andy schleck]

Probably because Bernal doing Vuelta is their best chance for a GT win. Even if he reaches his best level, he isn't beating Pogacar and Vingegaard, and then there isn't that much reason to change the plan.

Ok. That's fair.

 

[CHGJ2000]

Timeline to the Tour isn't that bad. Bernal got clapped on Prati di Tivo in Tirreno the year he won the Giro. Thomas and Froome have also done Tour GC after being worse than this in Romandie.

If it doesn't pan out, you can obviously quickly switch to stagehunting.

The only reason to not be optimistic I can see is the weather really suited him today and he might have been worse in perfect weather and high W/kg conditions.

Also helps that there is a larger gap between the Tour and Vuelta this year, considering he basically had to start all over again after a month off training due to his knee issue, combining the two providing he doesn't crash in the Tour seems fairly plausible and I'd expect his form to continue to improve throughout the year. On the Prati di Tivo I think he just had a bad day with his back though iirc, was back to pretty good form on the Muro stage.

 

[Oldermanish]

Some people say it's an aerodynamic advantage to ride without gloves.

Most riders don't wear gloves heavy enough to do anything but melt into the road rash when they crash; so protection is less than good. Full fingered Fox gloves are good for protection in short crits; they also are mini hand-saunas. Several have mentioned wanting gloves on hot days to get better grip and that is a Thing. You also can wipe your eyes when sweating heavily. I've not heard gloves were of any positive or negative contribution in TTs unless it's wet and you have grippy versions.
I'd agree that it's personal choice.

 

[BR2]

Go to the Tour for stage hunting would be my advice.

 

[Escarabajo]

Next up:

Tour de Hongrie​

Tour of Norway​

Tour de Suisse​

Tour de France​

Source: The man himself!

According to him and his coach, everything has been on the plan except for the crashes. But Catalunya and Itzulia were considered training blocks according to his coach. He expected him to be up front in Romandie. And this was something he said a month ago. So I have to accept that everything is on the plan.

 

[SHAD0W93]

It’d be good to go to Tour to stage hunt and KoM while building confidence. Then go to the Vuelta to fight for GC.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Next up:

Tour de Hongrie​

Tour of Norway​

Tour de Suisse​

Tour de France​

Source: The man himself!

According to him and his coach, everything has been on the plan except for the crashes. But Catalunya and Itzulia were considered training blocks according to his coach. He expected him to be up front in Romandie. And this was something he said a month ago. So I have to accept that everything is on the plan.

Pitty Norway has been downgraded compared to last year from 6 to 4 days. There are now only a short 7.5k TT/prologue with a 3.5k at 9% climb in the second part, and 3 stages. The 12k Gaustatoppen climb of last year has been removed. There is some climbing still to be done in the other stages, but doesn't seem enough to define GC.

 

[KZD]

Another hard crash for Bernal today, hope that he is ok.

I really question the need to race so much before the Tour given the increasing risks that cycling races seems to be having when compared with training. He already has 25 race days and if he finishes the Tour of Hungary, the Tour of Norway and the Tour of Switzerland he will reach the TDF with more than 40 race days (that would mean well more than 80 race days if he goes to the Vuelta after completing the Tour).

He already showed that he is back to a high level in the Tour of Romandie so riding two smaller stages races during the month of May instead of doing a altitude camp seems a bit pointless for a rider that in my opinion is still one of Ineos best chances to get a GC result in the Tour. If he gets a win surely that will boost his confidence but is it worth the risk ahead of the Tour? I don't think so.