A number of days in the past when 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal posted his energy knowledge for his ascent of the Col du Galibier on stage 4 of the Tour de France two issues struck residence instantly: His ‘numbers’ have been higher than when he gained the Tour de France on that climb again in 2019 and, whereas very a lot within the higher echelons of finishers that day – the 27-year-old Colombian got here residence thirteenth on the identical time as Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease A Bike) – he was nonetheless at far from the very best.
Bernal has continued to supply comparable outcomes and performances on the 2024 Tour de France since then. Finishing thirty sixth within the stage 7 time trial, in the principle bunch of GC favourites within the gravel stage at Troyes, and 4:39 down within the Lioran stage – the three most difficult levels since then – Bernal is at present fifteenth within the Tour de France GC standings at 10:18.
The Pyrenees, as for everyone else, will present a good clearer image of his present kind. In Bernal’s case, what’s at stake is his progress in getting back from his life-threatening crash of 2022, however there’s additionally a extra rapid comparability to be made along with his Tour de France of 2023.
While the race route renders an easy distinction troublesome – after 12 levels in 2023, the Pyrenees have been already within the Tour’s rearview mirror, reasonably than about to be tackled as in 2024 – however the distinction between the Bernal of 12 months in the past, already almost 40 minutes down in GC, and this 12 months is notable.
Ineos Grenadiers head coach Xabier Artetxe feels Bernal’s progress has taken “a terrific leap ahead” since July 2023. While Bernal’s Strava knowledge from the Col du Galibier exhibits extra room for enchancment, he is assured that physiologically Bernal will proceed to shut in on his optimum pre-crash situation. In some areas, as the info suggests – though there are different variables to keep in mind – the Colombian is already forward within the sport.
“What we’re seeing is that he is getting again to the ‘numbers’ [power output data] he had from when earlier than he crashed. But there are two issues: firstly, even when he’s coming again to that stage – and he is getting near it and generally is even higher than he was in some areas – since 2019 or 2020 biking has developed as effectively.”
“So in an effort to win, he has to do higher than he was in comparison with again then – and we’re at present shifting alongside that street.”
The newest race content material, interviews, options, evaluations and skilled shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
“In the precise case of the Galibier you need to perceive the context, too. When the Tour went over that climb final week it was stage 4 and in 2019, when he made an enormous distinction on that climb, that was stage 18. Five years in the past, we had achieved quite a lot of racing within the Tour already, so the extent of basic fatigue was a lot higher and the speeds weren’t so excessive, perhaps, both.
“But even so we’re actually pleased with how he is doing: from 2023 to 2024 he is taken a very massive leap ahead, and we predict that Egan hasn’t hit his highest stage but, both. He can nonetheless get even higher.”
According to Artetxe, essentially the most notable spike in Bernal’s progress began outdoors racing, throughout coaching final winter and it is this season that he has been reaping the advantages. Third total within the rain-lashed, hilly O Gran Camiño in February behind Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease A Bike) and Lenny Martínez (Groupama-FDJ), his first podium end in a stage race since 2022, was adopted with third within the Volta a Catalunya, Bernal’s first WorldTour podium since profitable the Giro d’Italia in 2021.
What occurred? “The massive distinction got here late in 2023,” Artetxe says. “The plan then was that whereas he was enhancing enormously total, when it got here to muscular improvement his organism nonetheless wasn’t creating so effectively. It wasn’t able to make that corresponding step.
“But regardless of that, we nonetheless gave him an enormous block of labor to deal with final season, and he raced greater than 80 days in 2023, making an attempt to enhance within the mid-to-long time period. He did quite a lot of WorldTour races, too, he did the Tour after which he did the Vuelta and though he wasn’t at his finest stage, and though individuals could possibly be pondering he was overly drained, that was truly what we wished.
“We wished his physique to adapt to WorldTour biking. And we knew the interval of relaxation after the Vuelta a España was going to be actually vital, to permit his muscular tissues to recuperate and adapt and enhance.”
The final result of that massive enhance in race days after which an extended spell of restoration, Artetxe stated was a corresponding spike in his ‘numbers.’ In November and December of 2023, when he began coaching once more for the brand new season, Bernal’s energy output knowledge “was actually completely different.”
While Ineos Grenadiers have been quietly very optimistic about what Bernal might now obtain, as Artetxe says, the actual check was all the time going to be in racing. But there, too, the outcomes confirmed what they already suspected: Bernal was shifting a lot quicker on the comeback path than earlier than.
Albeit with out an precise win so far, sturdy performances within the Colombian Nationals – third total – and the Tour Colombia – fifth – have been adopted by a 3rd place total in O Gran Camiño and seventh total in Paris-Nice. But as Artetxe says, his third place within the Volta a Catalunya offered a very important sense of how far Bernal had progressed.
“It’s a WorldTour race, it’s totally mountainous and above all he was combating towards all types of high names for the rostrum, from Mikel Landa to Enric Mas to Tadej Pogačar” – who gained the occasion outright – “and that’s what actually tells you the place he is at. Above all in levels 5,6, and seven, he was at a very excessive stage and that was a affirmation of what we would seen in these earlier weeks and former weeks.”
An virtually equally encouraging fourth total within the Tour de Suisse behind Adam Yates, João Almeida and an omnipotent UAE Team Emirates has been adopted by a return to the Tour de France. So after his quiet progress right here in July, the million-dollar query for the longer term is now whether or not Bernal will or will not do the Vuelta a Espana, and what he can obtain there.
“We’re going to attend and see how he finishes the Tour, we do not need to burn him out,” Artetxe says. “But if he finishes the Tour trying good on GC, and above all realizing that he can recuperate effectively, then the Vuelta is an choice that is still on the desk – and really a lot so.”
“It’s most likely the number one choice for him, proper now, after the Tour so if all goes effectively he’ll do it. He’s a Grand Tour rider, nice restoration and we’re in a interval of enchancment, we have taken a terrific leap ahead crucial. And though he is nonetheless missing one thing to shut the hole between the great riders – the place he is at now – and the actually good, let’s have a look at if little by little, we will try this.”