Egan Bernal: Former Tour de France winner to make European return at Volta a Catalunya, Ineos Grenadiers confirm
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Updated 14/03/2023 at 19:44 GMT
Ineos Grenadiers has confirmed that Egan Bernal will compete at the Volta a Catalunya next week as he continues on the long road back to finding form and fitness following a serious accident in January 2022 that came close to taking his life. He last competed in January when he was forced to pull out of the Vuelta a San Juan with a knee injury. He will be joined by team-mate by Geraint Thomas.
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Egan Bernal will compete at the Volta a Catalunya next week, his team Ineos Grenadiers has confirmed.
Bernal will make his European season debut at the event as he continues on the long road back to finding form and fitness following a serious accident in January 2022 that came close to taking his life.
He last competed in January when he was forced to pull out of the Vuelta a San Juan with a knee injury.
Although it was initially thought that Bernal would take part in the Settimana Coppi e Bartali event - as he was listed among the competitors set to race the five-day stage race next week - the Colombian has now been confirmed to be making his career debut at Catalunya.
On Tuesday, Ineos revealed that Bernal would head up their squad for the event in Spain, which takes place from March 20 to March 26.
He will be joined by team-mate by Geraint Thomas, who missed the Tirreno-Adriatico due to a recurring illness he suffered before the Tour Down Under. The team is completed by Jonathan Castroviejo, Ethan Hayter, Luke Plapp, Salvatore Puccio and Ben Tulett.
There are three tough mountain stages to Vallter, La Molina and Lo Port, with the race concluding at Montjuic Park in Barcelona.
Earlier this month, team boss Rod Ellingworth revealed that Bernal is in his thoughts for this summer's Tour de France.
“At the end of the day, we've got 30 bike riders and any of them could ride the Tour," Ellingworth said. "You've got to put the best eight on the line, haven't you?
“What we know about Egan and what you could see last year, is that he's still prepared to put in the hard work for the team if he's the leader or not a leader.
"He's a bit like Geraint Thomas in that sense. They're great role models for the younger guys.
“If Egan was fit enough, why would you not take him to the Tour for his experience and for the help he can give the team?
"The door’s completely wide open and the Tour is still four months away.”
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