Egan Bernal says winning the Tour de France ‘is like a drug’

Egan Bernal says winning the Tour de France “is like a drug.”

Last year Colombian star Bernal became the youngest Tour winner in the modern era, aged just 22.

The Team Ineos leader, who is looking to defend his title at this year’s postponed French Grand Tour, has reflected in his year as the reigning champion.

Bernal, now 23, told France TV Sport: “There is nothing like winning the Tour de France and what comes next is to win another.

“It’s like a drug, because if you win it once you want to do it over and over again. Once you have tasted it, you want more and more, you never get enough.”

Bernal has been ramping up his training on Strava in recent weeks, putting in some enormous rides as he prepares for the Tour’s Grand Départ from Nice on August 29.

Team Ineos is expected to take three former winners to the race –Bernal, 2018 winner Geraint Thomas and four-time winner Chris Froome. 

But there has been speculation that Froome could be on the move before the Tour, as Israel Start-Up Nation are reportedly interested in signing the Grand Tour star.

Bernal is focussed on his goal to win another Tour however: “When you win a Tour de France, you want to win it a second time, and then a third, and establish a new record.

“I will bring the show the public has been waiting for and I’ll be absolutely prepared for the race.

“I’ll give the best of me.”

Bernal is expected to ride an all-French schedule in his build-up to the Tour, starting with the Route d’Occitanie on August first, then the Tour de l’Ain and, the Critérium du Dauphiné.

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He currently has just eight race says in his legs for 2020, having started his season at the Colombian national championships in January and then going on to ride Tour Colombia a week later.