Vingegaard’s presence no deterrent for Bernal, who still dreams of Vuelta glory: "Otherwise, I’d have quit long ago"

Bernal has not raced since the three-week race in Italy. “After the Giro, I took about ten days off in Europe, then went back to Colombia and started the basic preparation and normal preparation for a Grand Tour,” Bernal explained to AS about the last few months. “First, I did a lot of kilometers, and then, little by little, I got into a more intense rhythm. I think everything went really well, and I'm looking forward to racing again.”

Jonas Vingegaard announced during the Tour de France, where he finished second, that he will participate in the Vuelta. The Dane from Visma | Lease a Bike is immediately the man to beat, Bernal knows. But he's not sure if that changes anything for him. "I think he's the favorite. He's one of the best riders in the world. It's hard to say if you go into the race with a different tactic. In the end, it's all about giving it your best. There can be many tactics, but in the end, it's about getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible."

That's why the 2021 Giro winner doesn't want to think too much about the riders he'll be up against. He knows from experience that there are more important things in racing. “Ultimately, if there is a rider who is that strong, and given the current state of cycling, the most important thing is not to crash, to get into the best possible position on the final climbs and then go as fast as you can. Sometimes we go all out with tactics, but in the end I think it's all simpler than that.”

Bernal won the Giro four years ago and was the best in the Tour de France in 2019. Only the Vuelta is missing to complete the famous Triple Crown. “I've said it many times: I don't know if I'll achieve it or not, but the truth is that I wake up every day thinking about being the best again, about being at the front,” said a very determined Bernal. “That's what I train for, that's why I keep cycling. Otherwise, I’d have quit long ago.”

It's one of the first things people ask the Colombian: Do you want to win the Vuelta? It brings pressure, but Bernal isn't lying when he says it's a huge goal. “It's the only race I have left to win, but people motivate me and tell me to go for it. It's one of my driving forces. I don't know if I'll ever achieve that goal, but as long as I keep cycling, I think it will be my dream.”

On Tuesday, Bernal will prepare for the Vuelta in the Tour of Burgos. In the five-day cycling race, he will face Isaac Del Toro. The Mexican from UAE Team Emirates - XRG is the latest star from Latin America, and the Colombian is a big fan of the 21-year-old climber. “He is clearly a great rider. He is a rider I really like: how he rides, who he is, also as a person.”

Del Toro finished second in the Giro, where Bernal came seventh. Richard Carapaz finished third, and Latin America made a great impression. The new sensation, Del Toro, may be just what is needed. “In fact, he is already a reference point. What he has done is amazing, and it is also fantastic for us to have another Latin American rider in the top positions, who undoubtedly has many years ahead of him. Moreover, I think he has a great personality and that people will like him very much in the future.”