He's also probably still suffering from lingering injuries from his Dauphine crash. Pushing on in the TDF just for the sake of finishing could run the risk of delaying his recovery form those injuries even further. There's other races on the calendar after this. Why derail your recovery just to finish the race? He's unlikely to win a stage, unlikely to contribute to any other teammates winning a stage, and also runs the risk of a crash. I think pulling out at this point is the right choice for him and his team.

 
you have inside knowledge of his medical condition, right ?

For sure, we can argue what's good for him and team, but not finishing is a weak mindset and shows no respect for the race or defending his title. I know everyone doesn't agree with me and that's fine and not that he cares but he lost a fan today. It's always the top guys doing this...you won't find Alaphilippe dropping out, he'll fight until he can't move. You'd never see Thomas Voeckler quitting...those are the guys I pull for, grit, toughness...Bernal got a cozy ride last year to the win and this year got tough so he quit...

If a French dude quit Le Tour, without suffering a major crash, he and his family would be jailed for life

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I respectfully disagree. I don't think his dropping out is indicative of a weak mindset nor is it a sign of disrespect for the race. I think that if he was healthy he would still be racing, even if he no longer had a chance of winning. But to continue on when injured, just for sake of finishing isn't smart. The decision to withdraw also wasn't likely just his decision, I'm sure the team had a say in that.

Of course I don't have any inside information on this but if he was hurt bad enough not to compete from previous races then why leave off Thomas and Froome and put all your eggs in the Bernal basket? I'm sure he's sore, but he started the race thinking he could win and the minute he realized he couldn't compete at the top level he dropped out. No one is 100%, hell most are probably at 70% or less at this point and hurting and maybe it was the right decision for him, but to me I can't pull for a guy like that ever...he hasn't had much adversity in his career yet and the first sign of it and he's out...weak ass mindset.

ok boomer...

It's possible the extent of his injuries weren't well understood. They may have thought he was fine but it wasn't until the race got tough that the issues came up. As for leaving Froome and Thomas off the roster, I can't say. Neither of them looked good at the Dauphine, but maybe they would have been fine by the time the Tour stared. Maybe the team wanted Thomas to focus on the Giro, and maybe the fact that Froome is leaving the team at the end of the year was a factor.

All of this is speculation of course. I'm willing to give Bernal a pass on dropping out though.

Egan isn't a millennial... and as a millennial, that makes me feel old.

This isn’t triathlon. He’s not going to get a medal just for crossing the line.

I suppose you are also not a fan of Stefan Küng, who dropped out of the Tour to focus on the upcoming world championships.

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clm
Nashville, TN
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Yep, you're correct. I mean who really cares what I think at the end of the day, but it's a forum to discuss this shit so I do lol. I just don't have any respect for those who drop out b/c they can't do what they thought the could do...crash your bike and get damaged that's one thing...turn your legs but they don't turn as fast as your competitors so I quit is not something I can get behind...that's all I'm saying.

In 2010 a very young Stephen Strasburg had to have Tommy John surgery. Had limited pitch count plan 2011 and limited innings plan for 2012 season, and he/agent/team pulled him from playoffs that year once he hit his innings, even though he wasn't injured. Very controversial. All sorts of machismo debates.

And he has continued to be lights out. Was a stud and one of the key reason they won World Series last year.

This a forum to discuss, and you entitled to your opinion. Egan is entitled to do what is best for him, his family, his career.

I understand what you are saying, but I would encourage you to reexamine your judgments. In case you forgot or are not entirely aware, Egan Arley Bernal Gómez is a 23-year-old Colombian hailing from the city of Bogota (elevation of 8,660 ft). He has an undisputed world-class racing resume. Please take a minute to study the results below. Do you believe somebody with this resume has a "weak ass mindset"?

Mountain bike
20142nd MTB World Junior Cross-Country Championships3rd MTB Pan-American Championships Junior Cross-Country 20151st MTB Pan-American Championships Junior Cross-Country3rd MTB World Junior Cross-Country Championships
Road
20161st Overall Tour of Bihor 1st Young rider classification1st Stage 11st Young rider classification Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali1st Young rider classification Giro del Trentino4th Overall Tour of Slovenia 1st Young rider classification4th Overall Tour de l'Avenir20171st Overall Sibiu Cycling Tour 1st Points classification1st Young rider classification1st Stages 2 & 31st Overall Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc 1st Points classification1st Young rider classification1st Stages 2 & 4 (ITT)1st Overall Tour de l'Avenir 1st Stages 7 & 82nd Giro dell'Appennino3rd Memorial Marco Pantani4th Overall Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali 1st Young rider classification5th Overall Giro della Toscana 1st Young rider classification5th GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano7th Overall Tour de Langkawi9th Overall Tour of the Alps 1st Young rider classification9th Overall Vuelta a San Juan 1st Young rider classification 20181st Time trial, National Road Championships1st Overall Tour of California 1st Young rider classification1st Stages 2 & 61st Overall Colombia Oro y Paz 1st Mountains classification1st Young rider classification2nd Overall Tour de Romandie 1st Young rider classification1st Stage 3 (ITT)6th Overall Tour Down Under 1st Young rider classification10th Milano–Torino20191st Overall Tour de France 1st Young rider classification1st Overall Tour de Suisse 1st Young rider classification1st Stage 71st Overall Paris–Nice 1st Young rider classification1st Gran Piemonte2nd Giro della Toscana3rd Overall Volta a Catalunya3rd Time trial, National Road Championships3rd Giro di Lombardia4th Overall Tour Colombia6th Milano–Torino9th Giro dell'Emilia20201st Overall Route d'Occitanie 1st Points classification1st Young rider classification1st Stage 32nd Overall Tour de l'AinNational Road Championships 2nd Road race3rd Time trial4th Overall Tour ColombiaTour de France Held after Stages 7–12

Yeah Strasburg is a good example of coming back from an injury slowly, even in his own opinion, he wanted to come back but stuck with it and continues to be a successful millionaire. Not exactly an equal comparison to Egan though but I'll go with it for now...

Bernal isn't really injured, at least to the extent where it didn't factor into Ineos' decision to trot him out as the head of a recently dominate team when others could have been chosen. And yes his decision to drop out might be best for his career and family, but personally I can't get behind someone like that...

Froome and Thomas weren't on form.

But yeah, you're right, but Bernal is really the guy who's missing out. Now he's not going to get the T-shirt and finishers medal.

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Awesome copy and paste! :)

Of course I was a fan of his b/c of this great success so far in his career albeit a cozy one in the most dominate team. But he faced some adversity and responded by quitting. Whether that's the best decision for him and his career is a debatable point; what's not debatable is that he quit when it was apparent he could not compete, not b/c of a crash or injury but b/c it was impossible based on timing that he would not win.

Hey David Goggins is here. My wife didn’t like your book.

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If you're an amateur racer, then I get what you're saying. Dropping out of any solo race just because you can't win is super bad form.

But that's not the case here. He's a pro. This is his job. He's expected to perform at a high level. It's also a team sport at his level.

So if the best way to deliver long term results for his team is to drop out, then that's what he has to do. It's his job. Why would he risk further complicating his injury just for what, bragging rights that he finished? Check his resume, he doesn't need it.

Watching this stage, it makes complete sense that a rider who is injured or sick would bow out and why a team would protect its asset by supporting or even encouraging that choice.

If I was the team manager I'd have him quit unless there was some indication that continuing was going to improve his form.

This is a quality rider who can get results this year if he can find some form, not some donkey slogging water and fetching energy gels where finishing the race is some sort of accomplishment.

I wasn't aware the TdF gave out finisher's medals

You're assuming he's not injured, but the fact is that none of us really know if he's injured and the extent any injuries he may have. Again, he may have seemed fine before the tour and during the beginning, but after 2 weeks of hard racing, what seemed minor at the beginning may have become much more significant. Again, all speculation.

Nobody should tell the OP that some guy from Texas started his first couple of Tours with the intention of dropping out after 10 stages or so...

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Which is exactly what goes to my point and own opinion...he's so cozy at the top that when he can't do it he just quits...he's "too good" to help the team or continue and support and accomplish something that isn't ideal...maybe good for the team, but gets no respect from me...I know I'm not the only one.