Egan Bernal said he hopes Chris Froome will be part of Team Ineos' Tour de France, describing Froome's Grand Tour winning experience as "important" for this year's race.

Recent reports in L'Equipe and La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest that Froome faces significant competition from Tao Geoghegan Hart, Andrei Amador, and Eddy Dunbar for a spot on the eight final roster.

Froome has made a full recovery from the terrible injury he sustained in last year's Criterium du Dauphiné, but his lack of race form has forced him to assume the role of domestique in La Route d'Occitanie and the recent Tour de l'Ain.

Bernal finished third behind Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma) on the climb of the first stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné, while Froome slowed with 3.8 km to go, finishing 5:23 behind.

Froome has already decided to move to the Israeli Startup Nation team in 2021, adding to rumors that he may be left out of the Tour de France.

Bernal, however, insisted that he would welcome him to the team.

"I certainly want [him] in the team," Bernal told British television station ITV before the start of the opening stage of the Dauphiné.

"He's a rider with a lot of experience. Certainly it's important to have a seven-time Grand Tour winner on the team. So we certainly would love to have him on the team."

Team Ineos is expected to select its Tour de France squad based on the performance of Bernal, Froome, and his teammates in the five mountain stages at this week's Dauphiné.

Bernal, Geraint Thomas, Michal Kwiatkowski, Pavel Sivakov, and Jonathan Castroviejo are expected to make the team, with the final three in the countdown to the start of the Tour de France in Nice on Saturday, August 29. will be confirmed.

Bernal won La Route d'Occitanie and battled with Primoz Roglic in the Tour de Ain, finishing second overall by 18 seconds. The Dauphiné would be his last race before the Tour de France.

"I think the most important goal for us is to ride as a team and start to get a real feel for the Tour. When asked about his goals for the five-day race, Bernal stated that he is aiming for the overall win.

"I think I will go for GC. It will be a good opportunity to see how I am performing. I will do my best and prepare for the Tour de France."