He is only twenty-three years old, but he already looks old.
Crushed on his bike, stuck on the smoking tar, stunned by the hellish rhythm printed by the Jumbo Visma, Egan Bernal does much more than his age.
In the Grand Colombier, the Colombian seems very small and sees moving away, empty eyes, the train of favorites as well as his chances of doubling.
The leader of Ineos Grenadiers will not win the Tour.
He is now far, very far from the Slovenian duo which flutters on the summits.
Its outlay is abysmal.
Bernal, who was third in the standings this Sunday morning at 59 '' from the yellow jersey, was pushed back to 13th place, 8'25 "behind the leader of the Primoz Roglic class.
“From the first ascent, I wasn't very well,” says the Colombian.
All day long, I lacked strength, I was not in my normal shape.
I feel like I lost three years of life.
But that's cycling, that's how it is.
The truth is, I lost this Tour de France.
"
Back in line
The doubts arose this August.
The Colombian, returned to Europe on July 19 after having spent the confinement at home, granted himself the Route d'Occitanie but he suffered the law of Roglic at the Tour de l'Ain.
Dominated again on the Dauphiné by the Slovenian, he even gave up two days from the finish, advancing back problems.
Egan Bernal never regained his aerial pedal stroke that had sent him familiar with the eagles on the peaks of the Alps last year.
Rid of his former leaders Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas considered aging, he fell into line, like his team, fragile and outdated.
"I think I'll be fine in the third week," he said at the start of Nice.
It's unlikely and anyway it's too late for this Tour.
And for the following, he will have to compose with a Slovenian duo that never ceases to impress.
Roglic is 30 years old and Pogacar, only 21 ...
