‘A great leap forward’ – former Tour de France winner Egan Bernal makes giant strides on comeback trail

A few days ago when 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal posted his power data for his ascent of the Col du Galibier on stage 4 of the Tour de France two things struck home immediately: His ‘numbers’ were better than when he won the Tour de France on that climb back in 2019 and, while very much in the upper echelons of finishers that day – the 27-year-old Colombian came home 13th on the same time as Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease A Bike) – he was still at some distance from the absolute best.

Bernal has continued to produce similar results and performances at the 2024 Tour de France since then. Finishing 36th in the stage 7 time trial, in the main bunch of GC favourites in the gravel stage at Troyes, and 4:39 down in the Lioran stage – the three most challenging stages since then – Bernal is currently 15th in the Tour de France GC standings at 10:18.