Former Tour de France champion Bernal out of Olympics on team orders

Former Tour de France champion Egan Bernal will sit out the Olympic Games road race after his Ineos team objected to his participation, the Colombian cycling federation (FCC) said on Thursday.

Bernal, 27, "was selected on 12 June to participate in the Paris Olympics" but "he ultimately did not obtain authorisation from his team," the FCC said in a statement.

The British team, however, did not confirm that it had made such a decision regarding the Colombian's involvement in the Olympics, when approached by AFP.

Bernal, the 2019 Tour de France champion, was selected in the Colombian team alongside Daniel Felipe Martinez for the Olympic road race which takes place on 3 August.

He has been replaced by Santiago Buitrago who rides for the Bahrain Victorious team.

Bernal's presence at the Games had been placed in doubt as this year's Tour de France, in which he is taking part, ends on 21 July in Nice.