11:05 AM
Egan Bernal (Ineos) took an important step towards achieving a new podium this season.
In the Tour of Switzerland, race that he already won in 2019, the Colombian rider completed a pleasant performance this Wednesday by finishing fifth in the fourth fraction171 kilometers between Rüschlikon and the high finish at Gotthard Pass, where the Norwegian Torstein Træen won (Bahrain – Victorious), last survivor of the day’s escape.
The winner, 28 years old and who achieved his first professional victory, was rewarded for his daring by fleeing for 154 kilometers. He triumphed with a time of 4:10.21.
English came second Adam Yates (UAE Emirates), at 23 seconds; third and fourth, in their order, were the Danish Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl – Trek) and the Portuguese Joao Almeida, at 48”; while Bernal gave up a minute.
Adam Yates, 31, who won the Tour of Oman title in February, is now the leader. He is followed by Almeida and Skjelmose, 26 seconds behind; while Egan climbed 14 places and is now fourth, at 49”.
Another national representative, the paisa Sergio Andrés Higuita (Bora), He also shows improvement after presenting some health problems at the beginning of the year. Higuita rose 11 places and is now 12th, 1.48 behind Yates.
Bernal surprises with his great performance after the accident he suffered at the beginning of January 2022 and after which he almost lost his life.
In this season, the champion of the Tour de France-2019 and the Giro d’Italia-2021 He was third in the National road race in Boyacá, fifth in the Tour Colombia, third in the O Gran Camiño, seventh in the Paris-Nice, third in the Tour of Catalonia and tenth in the Tour de Romandía.
The 27-year-old from Cundinamarca is in great shape to compete in his fifth Tour de France, contest that will be held between June 29 and July 21.
The toughness in the Tour of Switzerland is just beginning. The remaining days are in the mountains and with high finishes, including the last one on Sunday, the time trial to Villars-sur-Ollon.
This Thursday, 148.6 km will be traveled between Ambrì and the summit in Carì, where a first-class prize is located at a height of 1,636 meters above sea level.
