Surprise: Egan Bernal posts video of himself walking unaided following crash

Egan Bernal can stand and walk without assistance, three weeks after the serious crash which left him with a "95 per cent" chance of being paralysed.

The Colombian posted a video on social media of him walking alone slowly for 30 seconds, while in a neck and back brace. It was shared with the caption "Sorpresa! Mis primeros pasos", or "Surprise! My first steps".

Bernal left hopsital last Sunday, a fortnight after he collided with the back of a stationary bus while out training in Colombia on his time trial bike with teammates.

He broke 20 bones, as well as both his lungs collapsing. He had to undergo seven surgeries, including two on his spine. The Ineos Grenadiers rider has previously said that he had a "95 per cent chance of becoming a paraplegic" and that he came close to losing his life "doing what I love to do most".

It is not known how long it will take him to recover from the crash, or whether he will be able to return to his previous high level, which has seen him win the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia. 

When he left the Clínica Universidad de La Sabana, north of Bogotá, on Sunday, a statement from the medical team there said that Bernal "has no complications and all his injuries are stable and in the process of recovery".

In a video message released earlier this week, the Colombian said it felt like he had a "second chance" and that it felt like being reborn. He said: "In truth, for me it’s like being born again, the fact that I’m alive."

When he left the hospital, he was pictured in a wheelchair and standing up in photos, but the video released on Thursday night is the first time that the Giro champion has been seen walking.

He broke eleven ribs, one femur, a kneecap, a metacarpal and a thumb in the accident, as well as losing a tooth. However, it was the fractures to his vertebrae that were the most serious, with the 25-year old undergoing serious surgery on it; it is therefore positive to see him walking unaided.

Bernal is expected to continue his rehabilitation at home in Colombia.