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Egan Bernal looking sharp ahead of Tour de France as he holds on for Route d’Occitanie victory

Colombian rider Egan Bernal (C) of Team Ineos celebrates on the podium the overall win following the 4th and last stage of La Route d'Occitanie La Depeche du Midi cycling race, over 195 km between Lectoure and Rocamadour, southern France, 04 August 2020 - Egan Bernal in good form ahead of Tour de France as he holds on for Route d’Occitanie victory - SHUTTERSTOCK

Egan Bernal (Team Ineos) held on to win the four-day Route d’Occitanie in the French Pyrenees on Tuesday, underlining his good form four weeks out from the Tour de France.

The Colombian, who is aiming for a second successive Tour title next month, finished fourth on the final day, two seconds behind stage four winner Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R La Mondiale).

After a long absence due to the coronavirus pandemic, the race was pored over by fans searching for clues as to form. Bernal’s Ineos team-mate Chris Froome - also aiming for Tour glory next month - finished in 37th place overall, almost 10 minutes behind the winner. Froome, however, was on domestique duty at the race, and performed his role well, turning the screw on the decisive Beyrède climb on day three to set up Bernal and Ineos team mate Pavel Sivakov for a one-two on the stage. The four-time Tour champion is still working his way back from a career-threatening crash at last year’s Criterium du Dauphine.

"I'm going to take it one week at a time at the moment, keep improving my level,” he told reporters after stage three. “Obviously things can change before we get to the Tour. It's still a month away and a lot can happen.”

Frenchman Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) also looked in useful form ahead of the Tour, taking third place on Tuesday's final stage to finish fourth overall at 37 seconds.

Sports Briefing
Sports Briefing

2018 Tour champion Geraint Thomas missed Occitanie and will instead start his season at the Tour de l’Ain on August 7 where he will be joined by his Ineos co-leaders before they all head to the Critérium du Dauphiné on August 12. The Tour de France departs from Nice on August 29.

Meanwhile, Israel Start-Up Nation have moved to strengthen their squad ahead of Froome’s arrival next season with the signing of Norwegian climber Carl Fredrik Hagen.