Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal, of the Ineos Grenadiers, returns to competition today in the Tour of Denmark, seven months after the serious accident he suffered against a bus while training in his home country.
Havana, August 16 (RHC)-- Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal, of the Ineos Grenadiers, returns to competition today in the Tour of Denmark, seven months after the serious accident he suffered against a bus while training in his home country.
British team doctors issued the clearance in a statement following an assessment last weekend, and the South American added to the text that it was the moment he had been waiting for, "to race with my teammates again."
"I cannot stress as it deserves how difficult the last few months have been for me, both physically and mentally. That day and the journey since then will be a part of me forever. I will never forget it," he acknowledged.
He thanked the support received from his family, girlfriend, team and fans, which he described as invaluable to motivate him every day to work hard with the goal of returning to compete in a race.
Along with the Colombian will start for Ineos Grenadiers the Spanish Omar Fraile, the Polish Michal Kwiatkowski, the Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narvaez, the American Magnus Sheffield, as well as the British Ben Swift and Geraint Thomas.
Since he miraculously got back on his bike, only two months after his serious accident and seeing his rapid evolution, on several occasions the media commented that he could return at the Vuelta a Burgos, in Spain.
Despite telling about the accident and "the 95 percent chance of being paraplegic and almost losing his life", in the face of so many rumors, the rider assured that he would be in the Italian classics at the end of the year.
Bernal became in 2019 the first Latin American to win the Tour de France, the youngest winner in 110 years, and in 2021 he became the second Colombian to win the Giro d'Italia.
The Tour of Denmark, raced since 1985 and since two years ago in the 2.Pro category, has six stages, including a time trial before the final start to the town of Frederiksberg.
Because this is a flat country, sprinters and riders stand out in the race.
The first winner was the Italian Moreno Argentin, while the Danish cyclist Jakob Fuglsang appears with the most victories, three.
Last year's edition was won by Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), ahead of local rider Mads Pedersen of Trek-Segafredo.
