Bernal out of Dauphine with ‘bad back’ a fortnight before Tour defence
Tour de France champion Egan Bernal has been ruled out the rest of the Criterium du Dauphine with a back issue, his team-mate Geraint Thomas said ahead of Saturday's penultimate stage.
Egan Bernal was wearing the white jersey for the best young rider ahead of the fourth stage . POOL/AFP/Justin Setterfield
Outfit leader Bernal, 23, was in seventh place trailing Dauphine leader Primoz Roglic by 31 seconds two weeks before the start of this year’s Tour which starts on August 29.
“He doesn’t start today. He’s got a bit of a bad back and the best thing for him is to just take it easy,” 2018 Tour winner Thomas said.
“It’s such a short turn around to the Tour that it’s important he gets it 100 per cent right and be good then. I don’t think it’s a major issue, it’s just better to be on the side of caution,” he added.
The Dauphine’s fourth day heads 153.5km from Ugine to Megeve through the Alps with Jumbo-Visma’s Roglic holding a 14 seconds lead over second-placed Frenchman and fellow Tour hopeful Thibaut Pinot.
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