Egan Bernal set to make Grand Tour debut at the Tour de France
21-year-old reportedly set to ride in support of Chris Froome in July.

Egan Bernal's dream first season in the WorldTour looks set to continue with Team Sky reportedly willing to give him a Grand Tour debut at the Tour de France in July.
According to Spanish sports newspaper Marca, the 21-year-old Colombian, who has just won the Tour of California, will be part of the eight-rider team for the Tour de France, taking a domestique role in support of Chris Froome.
Bernal had been expected to make his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España, but his agent, Giuseppe Acquadro, said that it had been decided that Bernal would ride the Tour in a domestique role so that he would be under less pressure than at the Vuelta where some might expect him to mount a GC challenge.
>>> Tour de France 2018 route: Alpe d'Huez and Paris-Roubaix cobbles return for 2018 race
"The decision was taken after the Tour of California," said Acquadro, who also has the likes of Nairo Quintana, Mikel Landa, Michal Kwiatkowski, and Richard Carapaz on his books.
"If he went to the Vuelta then he would be under more pressure than at the Tour because more people would be looking at him and he would have more leadership responsibilities.
"Going to the Tour de France in the shadow of Chris Froome will allow him to ride out of the limelight. It will let him work and learn, which is good looking ahead, and he will not be under as much pressure."
Watch: Tour de France 2018 route guide
Speaking at the Giro d'Italia, Team Sky general manager Dave Brailsford said that a decision had not yet been made, but that he could not rule out that Bernal could be on the start line of the Tour de France in Noirmoutier-en-l'Île on July 7.
Having signed for Team Sky at the start of 2018, Bernal has enjoyed an exceptional first half of the year following two years racing at Professional Continental level with Androni-Sidermec.
Starting off the year with sixth place in the Tour Down Under, Bernal then won the Colombia Oro y Paz before crashing out of the Volta a Catalunya and fracturing his shoulder on the final stage while sitting in second place overall, and taking second place in the Tour de Romandie in his first race back after his injury.
Most recently Bernal took his first overall victory in a WorldTour race with a dominant performance at the Tour of California where he won two stages, including the defining mountain stage to South Lake Tahoe by nearly a minute and a half.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
-
-
Five talking points from stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia 2022
It was a long, hot, and fast day from Parma to Genoa
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Can a classic steel race bike beat a modern superbike?
We fit power meter pedals to a Colnago C68 and a Colnago Master Olympic and ride them back to back to find out what 30 years of progress translates to in the real world. As it turns out? 14 seconds.
By Simon Smythe • Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers insist they had a 'good day' on stage four of the Giro d'Italia, amid confusing tactics
The train returned, but Pavel Sivakov was dropped on Mount Etna
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Pavel Sivakov: 'I’m really happy to be back to my level'
Ineos Grenadiers rider in break at Tour of the Alps, caught with under 10km to go
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Bradley Wiggins: Ineos Grenadiers victory at Paris-Roubaix was 'typical Dave Brailsford'
Former Tour de France winner spent the day on a motorbike covering the race
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'You gotta love bike racing don't you, it's the best thing in the world' — Ben Turner after a dramatic first Paris-Roubaix
Ineos Grenadiers rider claims 11th after crashing, but sees teammate win race
By Adam Becket • Published
-
From finishing outside the time limit to winning Paris-Roubaix, Dylan van Baarle 'buzzing' after victory
Dutch rouleur claims first Paris-Roubaix for Ineos Grenadiers after 12 years of trying
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers head to Paris-Roubaix without one 'pure leader', but lots of options
Filippo Ganna is a favourite for the race, but says he doesn't know why
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Filippo Ganna to lead Ineos Grenadiers at Paris-Roubaix
British squad announce seven man team for Hell of the North
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'Maybe we need to lose a few races so we don’t get too confident' - are Ineos Grenadiers the form Classics team?
Brabantse Pijl performance saw the team win race for second year in a row, with three in top five
By Adam Becket • Published