Ineos Grenadiers confirmed that Egan Bernal will debut in the European season on Return to Catalonia next week, despite the fact that the organizers of Settimana Coppi e Bartali have already announced that the Colombian will start his race.
IN Press release Released by GS Emilia on Monday, Bernal has been listed as one of the top names to compete in the five-day multi-day race, which runs from March 21-25. However, on Tuesday afternoon, Ineos announced that the 26-year-old would instead lead their team at the fifth stage race of the WorldTour season, taking place in Spain March 20-26.
Bernal last competed at the Vuelta at San Juan in January, finishing in a promising fourth place atop the Alto Colorado before being forced to abandon the penultimate stage due to knee pain.
As a result, he missed the Colombian national championship, Vuelta Andalusia and Paris-Nice with either Coppi and Bartali or Catalonia hosting his return to racing.
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Ineos Grenadiers team manager Rod Ellingworth confirmed Cycling news Bernal will return to racing at the end of March in either the Volta a Catalunya or the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali last week. The Italian race seems to be Bernal’s preferred option due to a more gradual return to racing.
In March, Bernal stayed in Colombia and was treated at home. He recently suggested on Instagram that he went two weeks without serious road training, but returned to full training within a few days.
Now, after apparent confusion from the Italian race organizers, it has now been confirmed that Bernal will make his career debut in Catalonia.
He will be joined in the weekly race Geraint Thomas, who continues to train for the Giro d’Italia in his first race since the Tour Down Under. Ethan Hayter is also returning to racing after breaking his collarbone at Cadel Evans’ Great Ocean Road race, while Jonathan Castroviejo, Luke Plapp, Salvatore Puccio and Ben Tulett complete the list.
In Catalonia, Bernal and his teammates will compete on a stronger field than at the 1.1-rated Coppi e Bartali race with the world champion. Remco Evenepul (Soudal-QuickStep), Mikel Landa (Victorious Bahrain), Primoz Roglic Emirates UAE team couple Joao Almeida and Adam Yates prepare to kick off at Sant Feliu de Guixols.
Three challenging mountain stages at Walter, La Molina and Lo Port await GC contenders, with the race culminating in the traditional finish at Montjuïc Park in Barcelona.
Bernal missed most of the 2022 season following a life-threatening training crash last January that left him with a fractured vertebra, right hip and patella, as well as a lengthy recovery period. He returned to racing at the Tour of Denmark last August and spent the winter preparing for the full 2023 racing season.
“Obviously he’s a little upset, but we support him,” Ellingworth said. Cycling news.
“It was reported that he had a knee injury that has nothing to do with the accident last year. Egan really wants to race, but a lot of times he has to be held back with these guys.”
Bernal’s injuries left Ineos Grenadiers without a present 2023 Tour de France applicant.
Geraint Thomas climbed last year and finished third in the Tour de France behind Jonas Wingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Tadej Pogacar (Team Emirates UAE), but the veteran Welshman will set his sights on the Giro d’Italia this year in what could be the final season of his long career.
“I don’t think it’s possible to win the Tour all the time,” Ellingworth honestly admitted, calling Daniel Martinez and Carlos Rodriguez as possible leaders of the Tour de France this summer.
“If Egan was in good shape, why don’t you take him to the Tour because of his experience and the help he can give to the team? The door is fully open and the Tour is still four months away.”
Source: sports.yahoo.com
