“Above all, I’m happy with the progression I’ve made,” was Egan Bernal’s simple but heartfelt explanation of how it felt to take a landmark WorldTour podium finish at the Volta a Catalunya. The Ineos Grenadiers rider finished third overall Sunday behind an all-conquering Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and a resurgent Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep).
It was Bernal’s top performance in a WorldTour race since his life-threatening accident in early 2022 and his first GC podium since winning the Giro d’Italia outright in 2021. It was also his first in a week-long WorldTour stage race since winning the Tour de Suisse way back in 2019.
