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PAL, Andorra (Velo) — Egan Bernal felt like a winner Thursday even if he didn’t raise his arms.
The 2019 Tour de France champion finished stage 6 of the Vuelta a España high in Andorra with the GC favorites and celebrated the stage by hugging his partner and longtime friends at the mountaintop finish as if it were a personal victory.
And it was.
Four years removed from a near-fatal crash that nearly ended his career, Bernal is suddenly back in the conversation.
The Ineos Grenadiers star sits just 22 seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard in the overall standings after surviving the Vuelta’s first real summit test.
“Does it feel strange to be at the front again? It feels wonderful to be here where I am right now,” Bernal said beaming at the line. “After all the efforts of the last four years, I want to enjoy the race and see where we end up.”
Bernal celebrated with his inner circle on Thursday, hugging his partner and other friends waiting at the Andorra summit, including former teammate Iván Sosa.
“I am here with my family and my closest friends who’ve been with me these past three or four years that have been the hardest of my life,” he said. “I really appreciate them for standing by me.”
‘I keep believing I can be my best again’
Bernal shares a moment with friends after the stage. (Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
The Ineos Grenadiers star quietly entered the Vuelta looking for a revival after finishing seventh at the Giro d’Italia, his best grand tour since his 2022 crash in Colombia.
So far, things are lining up pretty well.
Bernal survived the opening stages in Italy, and Ineos Grenadiers rode to fifth in Wednesday’s team time trial to keep him close.
On Thursday, he could match the pace in the GC group after a big breakaway pulled clear to win the stage and snag the leader’s jersey. He’s now 11th overall, seventh on the “virtual” GC after some breakaway riders moved up.
Another big test comes Friday with the summit finale in Cerler high in the Spanish Pyrénées.
“I don’t know if I will achieve it, but I wake up every morning believing that I can come back to be my best,” Bernal said. “I keep dreaming, because hope is the last thing that you lose.”
Bernal’s never lost hope. Now the question is if his legs can match his dreams.