Egan Bernal suffered a small bleed on the brain as well as a fractured nose, split lip and shattered teeth in a major crash at the Clasica San Sebastian on Saturday which left the Colombian hospitalised.
Bernal, the 21-year-old heir apparent to Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas at Team Sky, was brought down with a number of others in the peloton in the final 20km of the one-day stage race, which was eventually won by Quick-Step Floor’s French rider Julian Alaphilippe.
The Colombian was seen receiving treatment on the road and was placed in a neck brace before being taken to nearby Donostia Hospital. He was released on Monday and will now rest for at least three weeks under the close supervision of Sky’s medical team.
A Team Sky statement read: “Egan underwent surgery on Saturday night to repair his top lip, which was split in the crash, and to reduce his nasal fracture. He will undergo dental surgery in the coming weeks to repair a number of missing, broken and fractured teeth.
“Egan will rest completely for at least three weeks after also suffering a small bleed on the brain during the crash. The young Colombian will continue to be closely monitored by our medical team and we will bring you updates as he continues his recovery.
“We would like to thank everyone who has sent Egan their best wishes over the past few days.”
Bernal was not expected to take part in the Vuelta a Espana which begins on 25 August, where team principal Sir Dave Brailsford is likely to choose an inexperienced team led by the Polish rider Michal Kwiatkowski. Instead Bernal will look to recover in time for September’s Road World Championships in Austria.
The incident also left Movistar’s Spanish rider Mikel Landa with a fractured L1 vertebra, ruling him out for three weeks.
