Bernal honest about Netcompany INEOS's Tour de France chances: 'We need a leader'

Tadej Pogacar already has a 3.36-minute lead over Jonas Vingegaard after eleven days in the Tour de France, while the other general classification contenders are losing even more time to the unbeatable Slovenian. Just outside the top ten is Egan Bernal. Once the crown prince of cycling, but that already feels like a long time ago. The Colombian rider from Netcompany INEOS is still riding exceptionally well, but how is he feeling at the Tour de France?

Bernal made his breakthrough at a very young age with Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec. After two years at the Pro-Continental level, he signed with Team Sky. In 2019—the first year of INEOS Grenadiers—he delivered a phenomenal performance at the Tour de France. At the age of 22, he became the first Colombian ever to win the Tour de France. The world was at his feet.

He went on to win the Giro d'Italia two years later, but a serious crash during a training ride brought his rise to an end. Bernal fought his way back, but never regained his previous form. Since his Tour victory in 2019, only Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard have won the Tour de France—the last of the mortals, so to speak. “I hadn’t thought about it. It’s a nice statistic,” he tells Marca.

Bernal’s journey through the world of cycling has been a very special one. The Colombian champion knows he’s seen every corner of the race. “In the Tour, I’ve held various positions: right at the top, then right at the bottom, just one of many riders, and now I’m back, fighting for the general classification.”

That’s a surprise. “At first, I wasn’t planning on coming to the Tour. Then I started, and I still wasn’t planning on going for the general classification. And now I’m going for the general classification. The team is treating me very well. I feel a lot of support, a lot of respect, and they give me a lot of freedom. I feel good. The most important thing is that I really enjoy what I do and that I’m proud of what I do.”

Netcompany INEOS will be without Oscar Onley, among others, for the Tour. Kévin Vauquelin isn’t performing at his target level, and Bernal was selected at the last minute. It’s a bit of a mess, as Bernal himself acknowledges. “We have some really good riders. If you look at the roster, you see a lot of quality. We need a leader who can compete against the riders higher up in the standings.”

An honest statement from the climber, who is still only 29 years old. But without Onley, it’s going to be tough. Carlos Rodríguez, who once finished fifth in the Tour, also withdrew ahead of the start in Barcelona. “Carlitos is a fantastic rider. He finished fifth in this race, and not just anyone can do that. He’s got a lot of class. As with everything in life, there are good times and bad times, but his time will surely come again.”

And what about Bernal himself? His worst days are long behind him. The Colombian is in his eleventh season as a pro, nine of which he spent riding for a British team. He’s still happy there. “I’d love to finish my career with this team. When you’ve been somewhere for years, you don’t want to leave. It’s hard to imagine myself riding for another team.”