11:17 AM
The Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal (Ineos) was close to signing a new podium this Sunday.
In an exciting finale in the Tour of Switzerland, which decided the places of honor with a time trial of 15.7 kilometers between the towns of Aigle and Villars-sur-Ollon, Bernal lost third place in the general classification by 10 seconds, which was finally completed by the Dane Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl – Trek).
The victory of the day went to the Portuguese Joao Almeida (UAE Emirates), who won with 33.24 minutes while riding at a speed of 28.2 kilometers per hour; while his teammate, the British Adam Yatesescorted him in the fraction and managed to defend the leader’s yellow shirt to become champion.
Skjelmose, for his part, crossed third, 20 seconds behind, and Bernal ninth, 1.30 behind.
This difference helped the Dane to reduce the time he lost to the Colombian, who finished the competition in fourth position, 3.12 behind Yates and 10 behind Skjelmose. The runner-up was Almeida, 22 seconds behind his colleague. A top-5 in the competition that is considered the toughest after the Giro, the Tour and the Vueltais also applaudable.
Despite the result, Bernal continues to surprise with his level, so much so that sometimes he forgets that he almost lost his life in 2022 after suffering an accident during bicycle training.
On the way to the Tour de France, which begins this June 29, the man from Cundinamarca, not only with words but with strong pedal strokes, once again predicts pleasant results to add to his brilliant record.
The 27-year-old runner, who was winner of the Tour de France in 2019 and the Giro d’Italia in 2021, he also placed second in the mountain classification in Switzerland, behind Yates.
During this test, Egan was the protagonist from beginning to end. The beetle arrived fifth in the town of Gotthard Pass, third in Carì, fourth in Blatten, sixth in Villars-sur-Ollon and ninth in that same town where the final fraction was held.
With Yates and Almeida, with whom he will meet again in the Tour, the national representative maintained a close fight in the final kilometers of the mountain stages, while with other important rivals, among them the Spaniard Enric Mas (Movistar), the Dutch Wilco Kelderman (Team Visma), among others, the Colombian showed better performance.
In this way, Egan, who along with Daniel Felipe Martínez will be at the Paris Olympic Games, He continues to show great progress in his recovery.
This year he was already third in the National Road Championship in Tunja, in the O Gran Camiño and in the Vuelta a Catalunya (first WorldTour podium since the accident), positions of honor that fill him with confidence and make him understand that he is doing well. path towards the goal of once again fighting for great things against the best riders in the world. The Grand Boucle awaits you.
