Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) said he has been able to ride without pain three months after being eliminated from the Tour de France due to a back injury.

The 2019 Tour champion was interviewed (open in new tab) at a Ministry of Sport event in Bolívar and said that the 2021 calendar has not yet been finalized.

Bernal had a strong start to the 2020 road season, which was rescheduled after the cancellation of COVID-19, winning La Route d'Occitanie - La Depeche du Midi and finishing second in the Tour de Ain.

However, back problems prevented him from competing in the Criterium du Dauphiné and he was disqualified from the Tour de France. He abandoned the race on stage 16.

"It's hard to look back on 2020, I'm really looking forward to the start of 2021 and going step by step, little by little, feeling super-focused," Bernal said.

Bernal said in October that it would take several months in the gym to resolve back pain from a leg imbalance that led to scoliosis of the spine.

Although four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome has moved to Israel Startup Nation, Adam Yates from Mitchelton Scott, Richie Porte from Trek Segafredo, and Dani Martinez from EF Pro Cycling With the additions, Bernal will have even more competition as a Grand Tour leader in a team that includes 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas and 2020 and 2019 Giro d'Italia winners Tao Geoghegan Hart and Richard Carapas The team is now in a position to compete more as a Grand Tour leader.

Bernal says his schedule for 2021 is not yet set. Nothing is set. It all depends on my back injury. My recovery is going well, but I have to keep my feet on the ground."

"It depends on how it progresses. The inflammation is gone and I can pedal without pain. You have to be patient."

For the time being, Bernal says he is focused only on recovery and "feeling like a real cyclist again."