VN news ticker: Egan Bernal to ride the Vuelta a Burgos, Fabio Jakobsen back to winning ways

Egan Bernal to ride the Vuelta a Burgos

Egan Bernal will race for the first time since winning the Giro d’Italia at the Vuelta a Burgos next month.

Bernal, who caught COVID-19 after his commanding victory at the Italian grand tour in May, has been at home in Colombia in recent months.

This year will be the first time that Bernal has ridden the Vuelta a Burgos, as he has usually contested Clásica San Sebastián after the Tour de France. His decision to focus on the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España in 2021 means he has taken a different approach to his summer calendar.

The five-day race will begin in Burgos on August 3 and finish at Lagunas de Neila on August 7. Bernal will be joined by Ineos Grenadiers teammates Eddie Dunbar, Jhonatan Narvaez, Salvatore Puccio, Pavel Sivakov, and Carlos Rodríguez.

Fabio Jakobsen takes first win since return

Fabio Jakobsen notched up his first win since his return to racing following an awful crash at the Tour of Poland last year. Jakobsen beat Fernando Gaviria to the line on the highly modified second stage of the Tour de Wallonie.

The riders took on 30 laps of the four-kilometer Zolder motorbike circuit after the major floods that have affected large parts of Europe made the original route impossible to ride.

Jakobsen was awarded the victory on the opening stage of last year’s Tour of Poland, after Dylan Groenewegen was disqualified for squeezing him onto the barriers. However, the win in Wallonie is the first time the Dutchman has been able to raise his arms in celebration since winning the Grote prijs Jean-Pierre Monseré in March 2020.

“I need to thank a lot of people: my girlfriend, my family, the doctors, and the team – without them it wouldn’t have been possible. This is also their victory. I am so happy I am in this team and will be part of it in the future. Together we worked on my comeback, and it panned out well,” Jakobsen said.

“It’s been quite a long comeback and to stand here today after that crash is an emotional moment for me, especially as my family is also here and they could see me do what I love so much and take the victory. These last couple of months have been a process where I made step after step, faced some setbacks at times, but continued fighting and believing in myself. I had already won several times before today, but being able to sprint and get the win is a big relief for me.”

Read more about @FabioJakobsen’s #ethiastourdewallonie victory and his thoughts after the race: https://t.co/3N1tFdzzlu
Photo: @GettySport pic.twitter.com/yLDeCURcIT

— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) July 21, 2021

Tim Declercq extends for two years with Deceuninck-Quick-Step

Tireless domestique Tim Declercq has added another two years to his tenure with Deceuninck-Quick-Step.

The Belgian, who is best known as “The Tractor” is best known for pulling along the peloton, has been with the team since 2017 after signing from Topsport-Vlaanderen.

“I’m super happy that I can stay with the team of my heart. The confidence that Patrick shows me is really nice, especially the fact I could sign that quickly. When I’ve worked a lot during a race and it ends up with the Wolfpack winning, it gives me a lot of joy and I feel part of that victory,” Declercq said.

“I’m satisfied with the role I have in the team and I feel appreciated for what I do, I know that this is where I can show my qualities. This is a professional team, but you also get a heart-warming family feeling, which helps you perform and motivates you to give absolutely everything. You are not just a rider here, most importantly, you’re a human being”