Egan Bernal returns to racing for Vuelta a España and Worlds preparation at Vuelta a Burgos

Two months after he last pinned on a number, Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) returns to racing on Tuesday as he lines up at the Vuelta a Burgos, kicking off his preparation for the Vuelta a España and the World Championships.

Bernal last raced at the Giro d'Italia, where he finished seventh overall after what he described as a "dream" race, showing signs of his former Grand Tour-winning level at the race he won overall in 2021.

Since then, he spent some time off in Europe and then returned to Colombia to train, and is now racing again in Spain as he builds towards the Vuelta a España, where he will again target the overall.

Before the Vuelta a Burgos, he spoke to Colombian outlet AS about his training and ambitions for the next races.

"Very well, I think the preparation has been great," he told AS. "After the Giro, I rested for ten days here in Europe, then I came back to Colombia and again started to build the base and the usual preparation for a Grand Tour.

"Firstly, many kilometres, and then, bit by bit, I started to get into a bit more of an intense rhythm. I think everything went well and I'm keen to return to racing."

In Burgos, a number of the punchy days and steep climbs like the Lagunas de Neila should suit Bernal, but he's balancing the desire to win and thinking more long-term about the Vuelta.

"A bit of everything, depending on how I feel," he said of his goals for the week ahead. "Firstly, the aim is to get the rhythm for the Vuelta, race again, and see where we are. It's been two and a half months of just training.

"Obviously, I'd like to be in front to try and win the race, I think that's important. After a long time without competing, you don't know if you're going to be there or not. You arrive with a lot of enthusiasm, but at the same time, a lot of doubts. I think the main thing is to start with a good mindset and then accept whatever comes."

In Burgos, Bernal sees Giro rival Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) as a big favourite, whilst in the Vuelta, the main competition will be Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).

Winner of the Tour de France in 2019 and Giro in 2021, Bernal has the chance to complete a coveted Grand Tour triple by winning the Vuelta at some point in his career. To do this is a big goal, but so is just competing again.

"It's my dream," he said about winning the Vuelta and completing the set. "I believe I can dream about it. I've said it many times, I don't know if I'll achieve it or not, but the truth is I wake up every day thinking about being the best again, about being at the front. It's what I train for, that's why I keep cycling. If not, I think I would have retired by now.

"Of course, lots of people talk to me about the Vuelta, and that's how I see it as well. It's the only race I'm missing, but people motivate me and tell me to try it. I think it's one of my motivations. I don't know if I'll ever achieve it, but at least as long as I keep cycling, I think it's going to be my dream."

The Vuelta is the main goal, but Bernal also confirmed to AS that he is planning to race the World Championships in Rwanda, where the hilly course is set to favour the climbing specialists. It will be the first time he has ridden the World Championships as an elite rider.

"The idea is to go to Worlds," he said. "Hopefully [it suits me]. I want to go to Worlds, and normally I would also do the Italian Classics. But firstly, I want to finish Burgos, then the Vuelta and then Worlds. At the moment I can't make too many plans about the future, but I want to get to Worlds and then I'll think about going to Lombardia, where I'd like to do well."