Saturday 4 May 2019 20:19, UK
Team Ineos' plans for the Giro d'Italia have been thrown into disarray after young Colombian star Egan Bernal broke his collarbone in a training crash.
The 22-year-old Bernal was due to lead Ineos in Italy when the Giro starts next Saturday with both Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas focused on the Tour de France in July.
Froome is the reigning Giro champion but has no intention of letting anything distract him from his goal of chasing a record-equalling fifth Tour crown this summer.
Thomas has shown strong form this week, with third place on Saturday's queen stage of the Tour of Romandie moving him up to fourth place overall before Sunday's concluding time trial.
But the Welshman has made it clear he wants to ride the Tour following his victory in France last summer.
Bernal enjoyed an impressive debut season in the World Tour last year and showed his form with overall victory in Paris-Nice earlier this year, but his hopes of another breakthrough moment in the Giro have now been dashed.
There could be a silver lining as Ineos will hope he will recover in time to reprise the impressive support role he played in last year's Tour, when he finished second in the young riders' classification despite doing several turns on the front for his team-mates.
