Egan Bernal has abandoned the Volta a Catalunya after crashing with 90km remaining on stage 6 to Molins de Rei. The Colombian remounted after the fall and attempted to continue before opting to withdraw from the race shortly afterwards.
His Ineos Grenadiers said that an update on the extent of Bernal’s injuries "would be provided in due course."
It was Bernal’s second abandon in as many races in 2023 following his withdrawal from the Vuelta a San Juan on the penultimate stage in January. On that occasion, he abandoned after an injury to his left knee, sustained in a crash on the opening day, which was exacerbated by his efforts on the key mountain stage to Alto Colorado.
Bernal had previously missed most of last season after suffering career-threatening injuries in a training crash in Bogota in January 2022. His injuries on that occasion included fractures to his right femur and right patella.
The knee pain Bernal suffered in Argentina also forced him to miss the Colombian national championships as well as the Vuelta a Andalucía and Paris-Nice, though he told the Just Cycling video channel that a series of scans had not shown any lasting injury to his left knee.
The 2019 Tour de France winner returned to competition at the Volta a Catalunya this week, though he downplayed his prospects in what was his first WorldTour race since 2021, saying: “I’m not going to be going great, I have to be realistic.”
Bernal was lying 42nd overall after five stages of the Volta a Catalunya, 21 minutes down on overall leader Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma).
More to follow...
Unfortunately, @EganBernal has abandoned #VoltaCatalunya102 after a crash on stage 5. An update will be provided in due course. pic.twitter.com/Y7m7LwT1U5March 25, 2023
