Egan Bernal has hinted that he is considering his future in pro cycling, but has said that his intention is “for now” to start next season.
The Colombian, winner of the Tour de France in 2019 and Giro d’Italia in 2021, has not raced since this year’s Tour; on Wednesday, journalist Daniel Benson wrote that Bernal was thinking of retirement. In an Instagram post on Thursday, Bernal stated that he is aiming to continue in 2027, but also wrote that he doesn’t “now exactly what the next few years will hold”.
Bernal, who has ridden for what is now Netcompany-Ineos since 2018, is the reigning Colombian national champion, and won a stage of the Vuelta a España last year. He rode both the Giro and Tour this season, finishing 10th at the former.
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However, his career changed in 2022 when he suffered life-threatening injuries after a training crash. The accident in Colombia left him with a number of broken bones, including a fractured right femur, and doctors originally said he had a 95% chance of dying or being paralysed.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Bernal wrote: “I wanted to share with you some reflections on the moment I am living, both personally and in sports. First of all, I have a contract with the team until the end of 2029 and, for now, my intention is to start next season.
“After so many years dedicated to cycling, I feel that I have given this sport the best years of my life, both as a cyclist and as a person.
“I have made sacrifices that I never imagined, I have won races that once seemed impossible dreams, I have lived incredible moments and also others very difficult, but today I can look back with tranquillity, proud of everything I have done and achieved, without regretting anything.”
“Over time I have also learned that this sport is not just about results, victories or sacrifices,” he continued. “It’s also about enjoying the road and finding the motivation to keep doing what you love.
This year I decided to finish my season after the Tour de France. I felt that I needed some time for myself, to rest, disconnect a little and recover that tranquillity that sometimes, with the rhythm of the competition, is lost.
“I have had conversations with the team and with the people who accompany me, and we are all on the same page: I want to give myself the necessary time and space to face what comes with the same conviction and dedication that I have always had.”
“I don’t know exactly what the next few years will hold for me, and I don’t think I have to know everything right now either,” Bernal said.
“What I am clear about is that, as long as I continue to compete, I want to do it with the conviction that I still have a lot to give. It is not simply about continuing for the sake of continuing, but about having the motivation, the physical and mental strength and the desire to remain competitive and make a difference.
“For now, I want to enjoy the present, live this moment with tranquillity and let time put things in their place.”
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