Former Tour de France winner Egan Bernal broke a collarbone in a crash at the Clasica Jaen bike race on Monday, won by his Ineos teammate Michal Kwiatkowski.
Bernal won the Tour in 2019 and the Giro d'Italia in 2021 before a brush with death in a training crash in Colombia in 2022 almost ended his career.
Earlier this month, the 28-year-old specialist climber won the Colombian road race and time-trial titles, his first victories since his high-speed collision with a bus.
Bernal had been active in setting up teammate Kwiatkowski on Monday before a ten-rider crash ended with a trip to hospital.
"Following a crash in the final stages of Clasica Jaen, Egan Bernal was transported to a local hospital. Our team doctor is currently with him and an update will be provided in due course," Ineos said on social media.
Bernal had been targeting an Italian campaign at the one-day Strade Bianche and the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race, before a potential tilt at a second Giro d'Italia title.
Following a crash in the final stages of #ClasicaJaen, @Eganbernal was transported to a local hospital.
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) February 17, 2025
Our team doctor is currently with him and an update will be provided in due course. pic.twitter.com/XCiOlSRcHT