The emergence of 21-year-old Egan Bernal as Team Sky’s new star was the perfect antidote to Chris Froome’s problems. But the Colombian has now been diagnosed with several shoulder fractures.
Egan Bernal diagnosis another major blow to Team Sky
Team Sky’s most difficult season in the squad’s history has just gotten worse with confirmation Egan Bernal has suffered a fractured shoulder.
The Colombian 21-year-old was in 2nd place overall at the Volta a Catalunya on the final stage when he crashed.
He came down with Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates). But while the Irish rider escaped without serious injury, Bernal was not so lucky.
Team Sky has now confirmed he suffered clavicular and scapular fractures.
His injuries come as Chris Froome is struggling with bad form. And Froome is facing a possible ban over his salbutamol levels at last year’s Vuelta.
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Wout Poels was set to take over from Froome as leader for the major races if he was banned. However, he broke his collar bone at Paris-Nice.
It means three of the major climbing general classification riders in the team have now suffered significant problems.
But while Froome faces being blocked from riding the Tour de France by ASO if his salbutamol issue is not resolved, Poels has time to be back into full form for the race.
Geraint Thomas is also capable of doing a big classification ride at the Tour.
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But Bernal was emerging as the shining star for Team Sky this year. Apart from taking the battle to Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) in Catalunya, he won the six-stage Colombia Ora y Paz (2.1) last month.
His story, of doing some well in his first WorldTour year, seemed the perfect antidote to Froome’s problems.
Now he will be out of circulation for a period; a hammer blow to an already under pressure Team Sky.
“Obviously, I’m a little disappointed because it could have been my first WorldTour podium,” said Bernal.
“And I’m sad because I felt really good and strong until the last day,” he added of crashing just 6km from the finish of the race in Barcelona on Sunday.
“But the team gave me so much confidence throughout the race. And my teammates did a great job all week. That’s left me really happy.
“I already feel a little better today and I feel relatively good, because it was a strong blow and I know it could have been a lot worse.
“It’s important to think positively now and prepare myself for my next block of racing.
“I don’t know exactly how long the recovery period will be, but at the moment I’m focusing on resting and recovering well.”
Team Sky doctor urges time
Dr Iñigo Sarriegui, one of Team Sky’s medical staff, said the young Colombian now needed time to recover.
“Egan obviously took a heavy impact on his shoulder. And we wanted to make sure we took time to get that properly checked out,” he said.
“Unfortunately, he has sustained a clavicular and small scapular fracture. And so we’ll be making sure we get specialist opinion on the best next steps for Egan’s recovery and rehabilitation.”
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