Egan Bernal makes Tour de France return for INEOS Grenadiers, Tom Pidcock also included after strong debut in 2022

INEOS Grenadiers have confirmed that 2019 Tour De France winner Egan Bernal is back in their squad for his first Grand Tour since his horrific injury in 2022. Bernal hasn’t raced at a Grand Tour since the 2021 Vuelta a Espana but after recovering from his serious injuries he is part of an interesting INEOS line-up. Ad Rising British and Spanish stars Tom Pidcock and Carlos Rodriguez are the nominal General Classification contenders although neither are expected to seriously fight for yellow this early in their careers.

Volta a CatalunyaBernal to make European return at Volta a Catalunya, Ineos Grenadiers confirm14/03/2023 AT 19:44 The rest of the team sees experienced hands Jonathan Castroviejo, Omar Fraile, Michael Kwiatkowski and Dani Martinez in the line-up alongside another Tour debutant, Ben Turner. Deputy Team Principal Rod Ellingworth said of the team “This is a great route and one which will see hard, full-gas racing right from the start. We know anything can happen over three weeks of a Grand Tour and we also know the demands of an event where heat and altitude play a big part.

“We’ve selected an exciting group of riders that bring a mix of skills and experience. The strength of this team will lie in the way we take on the race, and how we approach each stage with the options we have. “The whole team’s really thrilled for Egan, and everyone who’s supported him in his return to full fitness.

It’s a demonstration of his character and resilience, and the extraordinary effort he’s put into his recovery over the past 18 months. Of course, as a previous winner, he brings invaluable insight and a winning attitude to the group. His grit and determination sum up what we’re all about as a team, and all our riders will