Portugal Colonial - Egan Bernal delighted after comeback race

The 25-year-old Tour de France and Giro d'Italia winner, suffered multiple broken bones when he slammed into a stationary bus near Bogata on January 24.

Doctors thought at the time he might never walk again but after five surgeries the Colombian Ineos rider completed his first day of competitive racing.

"I'm super happy to be racing again. I'm hoping to go all the way and help the team here," said Bernal after the 223km stage.

Olav Kooij of Jumbo won the stage from a breakaway just beat the main pack home on the first of five stages.

"I'm just getting back into the rhythm and regaining my confidence," said Bernal.

Bernal needed multiple surgeries after breaking several ribs, a knee cap, a thigh bone, two vertebrae and a thumb in the crash.

"I almost died but I thank God for this test," he said at the time.

Ineos said he had made "remarkable progress" since then, praising his focus and the efforts of the medical team.

"There's been no complaining from Egan," Ineos sports director Gabriel Rasch said Tuesday. "No negativity at all."

"After what happened to me in January this has been the moment I've been waiting for -- to race with my teammates again," said Bernal.

Bernal can test himself again in an individual time trial over 12.2km on Wednesday's stage 2.

V.F.Barreira--PC