That Bernal won, precisely after 1,348 (!) days, on a time trial bike shows that he’s only truly back in 2025

When Egan Bernal crashed hard into a stationary bus in Colombia in January 2022, the entire cycling world held its breath. A photo of the dent in the vehicle circulated on Twitter in no time, and as the medical consequences trickled in, the life—and thus the career—of the greatest cycling talent at that time hung by a thread…

Bernal burst onto the scene with INEOS Grenadiers like a rocket in 2018, immediately won the Tour de France in 2019, and after a year of back problems, he added the Giro d’Italia to his palmarès in 2021. It was Thursday, 1,348 days ago that Bernal crowned himself king of the Giro in Italy.

He had already shown some signs of back weakness in the final week, but in the two weeks prior, he had been so dominant that he could afford it. The pink jersey fit him like a glove, and the world was at his feet. In 2022, he was supposed to return to the Tour, but unfortunately, it never came to that.

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Bernal hit a stationary bus at 70 km/h

In the winter of 2021, Bernal, as he did every year, headed to Colombia. There, in the busy city streets, you have to weave your way between cars, so he often has a scooter or car accompany him to clear the road. But not on January 24, 2022, when he was out alone on his time trial bike.

With his head tucked deep between his shoulders, he was reportedly traveling at about 65 to 70 km/h when he came upon a bus that was at a standstill—one he never saw. He slammed into it at full speed, with all the resulting consequences. Among other injuries, he broke his spine, femur, kneecap, and ribs.

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Bernal recovered—almost three years in the making

Anyone who remembers the footage of his homecoming from the hospital knows that in 2022, nobody gave Bernal a chance. He was just happy to be alive, just as he was happy to be back racing in Denmark by August of that year. He wasn’t quite riding backward, but it wouldn’t have mattered—simply being there was already a victory.

It ultimately took Bernal nearly three years to fully recover from his ordeal. Even a third place in the Basque Country in 2024 wasn’t necessarily up to Bernal’s standards. A final back surgery was supposed to be the last step in his journey back—to fight for real victories again in 2025. That all sounded great, but how realistic was it really?

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If Bernal wins, Bernal is back

Over the winter, Bernal already sent strong signals by taking down a popular Strava KOM. But the real confirmation that he’s back came at the Colombian time trial championship. Bernal won on a climbing course against lesser riders on paper, though he openly prayed to God afterward, grateful for the chance to celebrate again.

However, it wasn’t just the win—it was the fact that he did it on a time trial bike that truly proved we’re seeing the real Bernal again. Since 2022, he had been gradually improving on a standard road bike, but every time he rode a time trial bike after his crash, it looked like he was struggling just to stay upright. Before the accident, he had already proven he could handle a time trial, but after January 24, 2022, that ability seemed a distant memory.

Until Thursday, that is. Bernal bombed downhill with confidence, powered up the climbs in a big gear, and, most importantly, sat perfectly upright on his bike. No more crooked back, no more overly light gearing, and seemingly no more pain or hesitation. Bernal charged to a victory that must have felt like a liberation. Let the rest of 2025 come—we can’t wait!

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