In the shadow of "best Rodriguez ever," Bernal (with Vuelta dream and nagging back) sets off in the Tour

Rodriguez is the fifth-place finisher from last year's Tour. The man who won a stage on day fourteen, also finished sixth in the Vuelta in 2022, and at 23 years old, is the future of the team. The main leader, who dares to speak about winning. At the announcement of the selection, he did not hesitate to say that he is "better than ever." "We will see during the race where I stand. During training and races I feel good, and I really feel that I've made a step forward. I'll do my best and try to win," he told IDLProCycling.com with his typical friendly gaze and introverted voice.

Leading up to the Tour de France, INEOS had already listed Rodriguez, Pidcock, Geraint Thomas and also Laurens De Plus as potential leaders and semi-leaders. Now, only two remain, as Bernal is also included. Last year, he joined to rebuild his strength after his severe crash in 2022, but now he wants to truly measure himself against the others. "The plan was to prepare for the Tour de France starting from winter, but after the Tour of Switzerland, I only then really heard that I would be going. If I hadn't performed there, it wouldn't have made sense."

If Rodriguez encounters no issues, he is a safe bet for the top five. Bernal's situation is a bit different. He crashed into a stationary bus in January 2022, breaking half his body, and took a year and a half to return to a decent level. "There is a chance that I won’t make it in the general classification, but I want to try. If I fall behind at some point, I will help others," he says honestly.

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Based on the 2024 results, focusing on Rodriguez and Bernal isn't so crazy. The Spaniard had a tough start to the year but won the final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country and finished second in the general classification. In the Critérium du Dauphiné, he clinched another stage win on the final day and finished fourth overall. He was also the overall winner of the Tour de Romandie. Bernal, on his part, finished fifth in the Tour of Colombia, secured his first podium in a stage race since his crash with a second place in O Gran Camiño, and achieved an impressive third in Catalonia. He also finished fourth in the Tour of Switzerland.

Convincing auditions, according to seasoned veteran Thomas. "I'm really looking forward to it. We have a super strong team. We've already talked on the bus about what we all want to achieve in this race. Those goals can coexist nicely, although it will still be a challenge. Many guys can win a stage, but it's clear to everyone what we want to accomplish. There will be setbacks, but we have to deal with them by all wanting to head in the same direction. I will definitely get the chance to go for a stage, but that can also be advantageous for our GC riders. If you're at the front and don't necessarily have the legs to go for the win, you can still help the leaders."

The Welshman emphasizes that although INEOS Grenadiers has a strong team, the British multi-million dollar formation is no longer the top favorite. "In that respect, we can race differently because we don't have to carry the weight of the race. There are stronger teams. We won't race like Team Sky did, with a train until there's only one left. Pogacar is a bigger favorite than us, just like Visma | Lease a Bike. UAE always rides aggressively. If Pogacar is good, they tear everything apart. It could be that they go all out in the opening weekend, although that won't really ruin anyone's chances. The first two stages aren't tough enough for that."

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Thomas finished third in the Giro d'Italia in May and will therefore likely - just like Pidcock - do his own thing in a free role. For Bernal, much more is at stake, especially after his career hung by a thread in 2022. "The Tour de France means a lot to me, ever since I participated last year after my crash. I suffered a lot back then, and I hope it will go better now. I feel better, so I look forward to it and am curious about where I can finish and how my body will respond. It's no longer just about winning for me. When I didn’t finish the Tour as the defending champion in 2020, the world collapsed for me. Now I realize that cycling is not everything. I enjoy it, I love it, but if I don't win, I always come home to my family. I want to inspire people with that."

And yet, the fire in Bernal still burns strongly. The now 27-year-old Colombian was listed as the leader for the Vuelta a España in the winter, and the Tour could serve as the perfect warm-up. "If I have to choose between the Tour or the Vuelta, I'd choose the Vuelta. It would be amazing to have won all three once. Then I could retire in peace," he laughs broadly. Bernal already won the Tour in 2019 and the Giro in 2021.

To win the Tour de France again, he will need to improve significantly. "If I look purely at the numbers, I am better than before my crash, but still without winning races. I am making good progress, feel strong, but I also feel that there needs to be more to become the Egan I was before the crash again." His back, however, still gives him trouble. "An injury that forced me to abandon the Tour in 2020. I am otherwise fully recovered from my crash injuries, but the back problems remain. In the time trial position, I struggle with it the most. I have a lot of pain and can't push as I want. But we keep working on it. I'm not afraid of the time trials, although I will definitely lose time to some guys."