Egan Bernal sustained significant road rash on his upper body and backside in a very nasty crash at the Colombian road race championships today.
These pictures show a very cut up and slightly dazed looking Bernal after falling at speed while leading a chase group on a sweeping downhill right hander.
Because he was going so fast he slid for a long distance along the tarmac and shredded his skin on the way.
The Team Ineos rider and Tour de France champion remounted and eventually finished 2nd; an excellent result considering this crash with about 40km to the finish.
Medical checks after the race showed while Bernal had lost a lot of skin he suffered no broken bones.
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“It was painful. It was a big crash but I should be happy because it was only some skin – I’ve no fractures or anything like this," said Bernal afterwards, adding he was now ready for Tour of Colombia despite his crash.
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Sergio Higuita, the 22-year-old EF Pro Cycling rider who won a Vuelta stage last year, took the title today after 217km into Tunja in the eastern ranges of the Colombian Andes.
He won by 1:15 from Bernal with Daniel Felipe Martínez (EF Pro Cycling) in 3rd just two further seconds back and on the same time as 4th placed Nairo Quintana (Team Arkéa Samsic).
Bernal's team mate Ivan Sosa had pulled clear with Higuita on the final climb of the race after attacking twice and forcing the key splits.
But Sosa then crashed with 18km remaining, taking him out of contention and leaving Higuita up front alone to race in solo and win gold.
Martínez (23) won the TT title, from Quintana and Bernal, last Thursday making for a very successful Colombian championships for EF Pro Cycling's youthful rising stars.
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