Egan Bernal says Chris Froome "never got mad" for his comments on leadership at the 2020 Tour de France.
The Colombian star previously said he didn’t want to waste an opportunity to win the Tour by riding in support of the other leaders at Team Ineos, Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas.
Bernal, who last season became the youngest winner of the Tour de France in the modern era, said he has since spoken to both Froome and Thomas and that there is no bad blood there.
The 23-year-old told Colombian newspaper El Tiempo: “[Froome] wasn’t upset.
“We spoke at the time. Froome’s comments came out and people thought he was angry at me, but he wasn’t. He never got mad at me for what I said.”
Bernal said the Tour-winning trio are friends and that they are each focused on the team retaining the yellow jersey.
Team Ineos are expected to carry all three former Tour winners to the postponed edition of the race next month – Froome a four-time winner, Geraint Thomas the 2018 champion, and Bernal the reigning title-holder.
But attentions have now turned to the conflicting ambitions within the team, as all three have expressed the desire to repeat former glories.
Froome has his sights set on a record-equalling fifth Tour win, saying it would be “one of the biggest comeback stories in sport” while Thomas said he aims to be in the best shape possible, but will pass leadership duties if he needs to.
Earlier this year, Bernal said he wouldn’t be willing to sacrifice himself at the Tour if he is riding at 100 per cent.
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But with Froome returning from a terrible leg-break suffered at the Critérium du Dauphiné last year and rumours the seven-time Grand Tour winner could be changing teams for next season, Bernal remains the favourite.
