Bernal & Froome. Fate & femurs

The medical and cycling news out of Colombia is devastating. 

Egan Bernal, a Tour de France and Giro d’Italia champion, lies in a hospital bed in Bogotá with serious injuries that have obliterated his season plans. No grand tours, no battles with Tadej Pogačar and Primoz Roglic, just months and months of arduous physical rehab and recovery. 

Then again, it’s fortunate that Bernal will eventually walk again, and maybe even pedal a race bike up mountains at ferocious speeds. Bernal stated on twitter that there was “a 95% chance of becoming paraplegic and nearly losing my life doing what I love to do most, today I want to thank God, Clinica Usabana, all the specialists for doing the impossible, my family, and all of you for your wishes.”

Bernal’s crash has an eerie resemblance to Chris Froome’s horrific accident during a recon of stage four in the 2019 Critérium du Dauphiné. Both men were riding their time trial bikes at a speed of roughly 60 kph. Froome hit a wall, Bernal slammed into the back of a bus. 

The Briton, a four time Tour de France winner, suffered a fractured right femur, elbow and ribs. Three years after the crash, he continues to struggle to regain his place at the head of the peloton. A younger generation of grand tour riders have dropped him far behind and his hopes of joining the select group of five-time tour winners has all but ended.

Bernal also has a whole list of career-endangering injuries: Broken right femur, right patella and ribs along with chest trauma and a punctured lung. Surgeons have also carried out procedures to repair fractures to his hand and teeth. He’s a mess — in good spirits but still a mess.

It’s going to be a long, brutal climb back for the Ineos grand tour leader. The good news is that Bernal is still only 25 while Froome was 33 when he derailed his stellar career. The Colombian has the benefit of youth on his side and plenty of time to piece himself back together.

When Froome had his massive injuries, team manager David Brailsford said “One of the things which sets Chris apart is his mental strength and resilience. And we will support him totally in his recovery.” We’re about to discover the level of Egan Bernal’s resilience.