Tour winner escaped death and is now a helper: Bernal survived the horror crash – but the winning rider inside him died

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Shortly after the start of the Vuelta, Egan Bernal (26) was asked: Are you aiming for a stage win? “No,” the Colombian replied, “I prefer to help my teammates.” I’m sorry, what? After all, he is one of the greatest cycling stars ever. Or rather, it was him. Bernal broke records early on, winning the Tour de Suisse in 2019 and the Tour de France shortly afterwards – becoming the first South American and youngest rider in history.

“He will dominate cycling for many years to come,” experts were certain. You would have to be wrong. The Andean wheel angel fell low. So deep that it is difficult to imagine that he will ever be able to repeat his old achievements.

Collided with a bus at a speed of 60 km/h

It’s a miracle that Bernal can still cycle. “I was about to die,” said the Team Ineos professional. But first things first. After his tour coup, Bernal suffered from major back problems because one of his legs was longer than the other. An operation was not possible. He had no choice but to manage the problem with physical therapy. The treatment was successful, Bernal won the Giro d’Italia in 2021. But then came January 24, 2022.

Bernal was on a training trip that day in the Colombian capital Bogotá when a bus suddenly stopped in front of him to let passengers off. Bernal can no longer ignore it, he doesn’t even brake anymore, but races at 60 km/h in the back of the car. Breaking twenty bones in his body, including two vertebrae, eleven ribs, a femur and a kneecap. Both lungs are perforated.

“Every breath hurts”

In the first twelve hours after the crash, Bernal underwent three operations. The super mountaineer was in an induced coma for three days and feared the worst. But Bernal survives. “When I was on a ventilator, every breath hurt. But at least I could feel something. I could have felt nothing and been dead,” Bernal said on Eurosport.

Gustavo Ariza, who treated Bernal, told ‘El Tiempo’ that it was a miracle that Bernal escaped alive. “Normally he would have died or been 95 percent paralyzed.”

The priorities have shifted

At one point Bernal is over the mountain – not on a bike like he used to be, but figuratively speaking. A comeback is ruled out for the time being. Walking, eating, brushing his teeth – he has to learn everything again. Bernal will later return to cycling and seven months after the crash he will participate in the Tour of Denmark in August 2022.

Everyone in the Vuelta is also happy that Bernal is back in the peloton. But this is exactly what no longer means as much to him as it used to. “There is life outside of cycling,” he says. And adds: “I have a family, my dog. He happily waits for me at home. He doesn’t care if I win.”

It remains to be seen how many sports headlines Bernal will write. He has already won his most important race.

Source : Blick