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The Ineos Grenadiers leader says the Vuelta has become the biggest goal of his career as he sets out to become only the seventh rider to have won all three Grand Tours.
Bernal returned to action this season in some style winning the Giro d’Italia in his first race back from a back injury that derailed his 2020 season.
With the maglia rosa in his collection, Bernal has now moved all his attention to the maillot rojo and becoming the first rider since Alberto Contador in 2008 to win both the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana in one season.
“For me winning all three would be like a dream,” Bernal said. “For sure it’s the biggest goal of my career now.”
“But it’s the first time I’ve taken part in two Grand Tours in one year, so I don’t know how my body will react. I’m feeling good, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I want to do this race and whatever happens, happens. For sure if there is an opportunity, I will try and win it.
Bernal admits he has not had the most ideal preparation for this year’s race but says he is learning to manage his back injury and insists his form is only getting better.
“It’s something I’ll have to put up with some more months, the important thing is I can keep going for a while yet,” he said.
“I rested up after the Giro, I had COVID-19, so I had to stop for some weeks and then get back into it little by little.
“It’s not been the ideal preparation, but I hope to be in good shape.”
Another complication for the Colombian could be the battle for leadership among his own team with Bernal admitting a hierarchy had not been established by Ineos.
After winning gold in the road race at the Tokyo Olympics and with a third-place finish at the Tour de France, Ineos teammate Richard Carapaz will also have GC aspirations while British rider Adam Yates is another Ineos rider who will have his eye on the maillot rojo.
Bernal said that communication would be critical for ensuring the team’s greatest level of success possible.
“Yates has been preparing for this race for a long time and wants to do it well. Richard was third in the Tour and is at a good level, me too. I hope I can do this well,” Bernal explained.
“It’s not so easy to decide who the leader is. But we’ve got a good team, so it’s important to be very honest.”
