As he lies in intensive care following a series of major surgeries, Egan Bernal has received well wishes from across the professional peloton and beyond.
The Ineos Grenadiers rider suffered multiple injuries when he crashed into the back of a bus while training with teammates in Colombia on Monday morning.
Soon after the crash there were reports of ‘minor injuries’ in the Colombian media, but it soon emerged that the former Tour de France and Giro d’Italia champion was facing something far more serious. It was confirmed that he had fractured his femur and kneecap, but the worst was still to come, as the Bogota hospital where he was treated detailed injuries to his spine and chest.
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After undergoing orthopaedic surgery to fix his broken leg and kneecap, plus a collapsed lung, he was taken into theatre by neurosurgeons. According to the hospital, the procedure was a ‘success’, with Bernal apparently avoiding any permanent damage to his spinal cord at this point.
As Bernal faced surgery, a string of messages of support flooded in on social media. His teammates and fellow Colombian riders expressed their well wishes, but so did his rivals and other major figures in the sport.
The support extended beyond the cycling world, with footballer Radamel Falcao - one of Colombia’s biggest sport stars - chipping in. It also went beyond the sporting world, as Colombia’s president, Iván Duque, issued a message of hope that Bernal could recover and carry on ‘reaping triumphs for Colombia’.
Many of the messages on social media were accompanied by the hashtag #FuerzaEgan. Scroll down for a selection of the messages.
Teammate and domestique Daniel Martínez posted this iconic shot of him roaring on Bernal during a moment of crisis at last year's Giro d'Italia. "Today more than ever I'm wishing you the best," Martínez wrote. "[Hope] you recover soon and you put on a show again, as you know how."
Falcao wrote: "[Wishing] a speedy and successful recovery for Egan Bernal. All of Colombia is with you at this painful moment. Let's protect and look after cyclists on all roads in Colombia."
The Colombian president wrote: "To our beloved champion, Egan Bernal, we wish you a speedy recovery after the accident you. suffered while training with teammates. We trust that your state of health will progress satisfactorily and that you can carry on reaping triumphs for Colombia."
Fellow Colombian rider Rigoberto Urán (EF-EasyPost) said that Bernal was in "a race that you're going to win", while Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) said he was "conscious of what this type of situation entails but I also know that it's always possible to pick yourself up and carry on with greater strength".
Miguel Ángel López (Astana-Qazakstan) noted that "our profession entails many risks" as he too wished Bernal a speedy recovery. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) sent "a strong hug from Spain" and hoped to see the "champion" back at the races soon.
As well as the messages from the Spanish speaking world, there were many from further afield.
