Former Tour de France winner Egan Bernal has damaged his collarbone throughout the closing levels of a race in Spain.
Ineos Grenadiers mentioned their 28-year-old rider fractured his clavicle in a crash whereas competing within the Clasica Jaen-Paraiso Inside, which was gained by Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski.
“I used to be feeling actually sturdy and clearly I am unhappy to have crashed, however on the identical time the best way I felt throughout the race gave me lots of confidence and motivation to maintain working exhausting – the season [ahead] may be very lengthy,” Bernal mentioned after being launched from hospital.
“I’ve felt superb within the three races that I’ve carried out, so I simply need to maintain working and I hope to be again quickly.”
The crash comes 11 days after Bernal gained the nationwide particular person time-trial championships in his native Colombia, his first occasion win since a life-threatening crash three years in the past.
Bernal, who gained Le Tour in 2019, was left preventing for this life following a coaching crash on a time-trial bike close to Colombia’s capital Bogota in January 2022. He wanted spinal surgical procedure and different procedures after he sustained again, leg, knee and chest accidents.
Ineos Grenadiers haven’t put a timeframe on Bernal’s return.
