Egan Bernal has been confirmed as taking part in the 2023 Criterium du Dauphiné for Ineos Grenadiers as the Colombian builds towards a likely return to the Tour de France.
The Colombian will form part of a powerful line-up for the British team, which also includes former Dauphiné winner Dani Martínez.
Bernal’s participation comes after a possible participation in the Tour of Norway last week - where Ineos Grenadiers dominated the course, taking first and second with Ben Tulett and Magnus Sheffield - was finally scrapped because, team sources said at the time, he was not fully ready to race.
His last event was the Tour de Hongrie in mid-May, where he finished eighth overall, despite a high-speed crash on stage 1 involving nearly a dozen riders and which caused his Australian teammate and current National Road Champion Luke Plapp to quit with a concussion.
The powerful line-up for Ineos Grenadiers also includes Dani Martínez, the 2020 Dauphiné winner, and Spanish National Champion Carlos Rodriguez, back after a long spell away due to breaking his collarbone in the Strade Bianche.
Historically, Ineos Grenadiers have always been a key player in the Critérium du Dauphiné, winning seven of the last 12 editions. Their last victory dates from 2021 with Richie Porte, where Geraint Thomas placed third.
Also part of the Ineos team is Ethan Hayter, recently a winner of a stage and briefly the leader in the Tour de Romandie, Ben Turner, whose last race was the Tour of Flanders where he crashed out, fracturing his arm, and Spanish all-rounders Omar Fraile and Jonathan Castroviejo.
Bernal’s only previous participation dates from 2020, when he was a DNS on stage 4 with a back injury. He had been lying seventh overall at the time.
The Criterium du Dauphiné starts on Sunday 4th June, with a hilly stage starting and finishing in Chambon-sur-Lac and concludes with a summit finish in the city of Grenoble on Sunday 11th.
It's nearly time to go racing again... ⌛️Your Grenadiers to take on the @dauphine 👊 pic.twitter.com/UkXKsgBvsDMay 31, 2023
