It continues to be said that we will have to wait until next year to see Bernal at his best, that this season is crucial for his recovery. The accident which sidelined the Colombian at the beginning of 2022 has consequences that still linger todayBernal returned to race a Grand Tour only in 2023, with the Tour de France (in the opening photo at the presentation of the 20th stage). A few weeks later his participation in the Vuelta was announced, another important step towards climbing to his best condition.
The medical point of view
Carlo Guardascione, team doctor Jayco-AlUla, is one of the most well-known and important names in the group. We decided to ask him for his opinion on the recovery timeline. Now the times seem to be getting longer and not a little, there is more and more talk of a "recovery season"Was it like this in the past, or is it a change brought about by modern cycling?
«We need to make distinctions – explains Guardascione – between single traumas and multiple traumas. From a medical point of view, it is better to break your femur in three different places and undergo surgery., rather than suffer a multiple trauma like Bernal's. An accident like his significantly lengthens recovery times, because various imbalances are suffered which the athlete then carries with him once back on the bike».
Jakobsen and Evenepoel
One of the most recent accidents, which occurred during the race and which has remained most in the memory of fans, is that of Jakobsen at the 2020 Tour de Pologne. The other is Evenepoel's crash at the Giro di Lombardia of the same year.
«Jakobsen – says Guardascione – suffered a terrifying facial trauma, but once he got it sorted he was able to get back in the saddle in a very short time. As bad and painful as a trauma like that of Jakobsen or Evenepoel himself can be, they are “easier” to bring back. So much so that both of them, within a year, or even a little less, returned to racing and winning.When suffering a trauma such as a fractured pelvis (in Evenepoel's case, ed.) the aspect also comes into play psychologicalYou know that it takes five months to heal from a fracture like that, and you set yourself a time goal.
«In a case like Bernal's – he continues – the main goal was to get the person back on their feet before the riderWe didn't give ourselves a recovery time, because the injuries were so numerous that it wasn't possible to predict a timeframe."
Everything exaggerated
In modern cycling, however, everything is taken to extremes, for better or worse. Healing and recovery therapies allow for complete recovery. However, the performances in the race are so high that you have to be at the top to think you are competitive..
“It’s one thing to want to get back to being competitive,” Guardascione tells us again. “It’s another thing to get back to riding in a group. If you want to win, it's not enough to be at 95 or 99 percent.In modern cycling, you have to be perfect if you want to try to win. Ten years ago, it wasn't like that. There wasn't this extreme level of performance; we're like in Formula 1. And to achieve perfection it takes time, so the recovery periods are not extended, but the ones needed to become competitive again. A fracture always heals in 2 months, but To return to the group with the ambition of winning you have to work hardWe've seen it for years: you only compete if you're perfect, with the right numbers. There's no way you can go racing with legs that need "building." Especially after an injury.
