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Egan Bernal makes his European debut next week at the Volta a Catalunya, team officials confirmed.
The 26-year-old hasn’t raced since crashing out of the Vuelta a San Juan in late January with a subsequent knee injury that delayed his return to Europe.
In a message on social media, Bernal insisted he’s making steady progress from his latest setback.
“These last days in Colombia have been [excellent],” Bernal said. “After once again not being able to ride for three weeks due to a silly crash in Argentina, we began a training process in which there have been ups and downs but always with the mentality of returning to my best version.”
Also read: Knee injury forces Bernal out of Paris-Nice
The 2019 Tour de France winner continues on his recovery from his devastating crash in early 2022 when he slammed into the back of a parked bus while on a training ride in Colombia.
The mishap nearly killed him, and despite an impressive recovery to return to racing in late 2022, his racing future remains uncertain.
We’re excited to be back racing @VoltaCatalunya next week 👊
Here’s our lineup for #VoltaCatalunya102 👇 pic.twitter.com/Vnh6uRTPAd
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) March 14, 2023
After the seven-stage Catalunya tour, there are no more races on Bernal’s official calendar.
Ineos Grenadiers coaches and trainers are keeping a close eye on how he handles the demands of racing, and will be making decision on his racing calendar based on his progress.
Ineos Grenadiers officials revealed the team’s lineup for the seven-day WorldTour race in Spain’s Catalunya region. Others racing include Geraint Thomas, Luke Plapp, and Ethan Hayter.