The fifth stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné went to Jonas Vingegaard, but Egan Bernal took courage from his performance in his long-awaited return to the Tour de France.

After losing more than two minutes to Vingergaard in Wednesday's 31km time trial, Bernal showed more composure on the road to Salins-les-Bains on stage 5, attacking from the chase group that formed behind the day's winner Vingergaard on the run-in to the finish The team was able to attack from the chase group that formed behind the day's winner, Vingegaard, on the run-in to the finish.

Bernal was quickly caught up, but finished the stage in 11th place from a group that finished 31 seconds behind Vingegaard.

"Even before the time trial, I think I knew the result wasn't the best," Bernal told ITV. "I wasn't riding well in training [on the time trial bike], so I had to be realistic. I'm a little surprised to be in the top group today.

Bernal confessed that he did not trust his senses at all on the Côte de Técy Category 2 climb that led to his victory in Vingegaard. When he saw his former teammate Richard Calapaz (EF Education-Easy Post) attacking at the foot of the climb, Bernal chose not to follow.

"Maybe I was a little short on confidence. I was in the lead and they were watching, but I was a little afraid of passing by and exploding."

"I think I did well, but it's something new for me again, to be at the front with the favorites. Everything is new for me, but I should be happy with my performance so far."

Vingegaard broke away on the climb, but Bernal was part of a group that swept past Calapas in the 14 km to the finish in Salins-les-Bains. The lack of cohesion in the chasing group led Bernal to briefly attempt to bridge alone, but he eventually crossed the finish line with Ben O'Connor, Julien Alaphilippe, and others. When the climb was over," Bernal said, "my legs were straining. I could see there was no one in front of me to help me, so I said I would go. In the final, of course they caught me, but at least it was a good try."

Bernal missed most of last season after being seriously injured in a training crash in January 2022.

Bernal, a Colombian, injured his knee at the Vuelta a San Juan and had to withdraw from the Vuelta a Catalunya after a fall on the final day. Bernal then finished eighth overall at the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Hongri, but fell on the first day in Hungary.

Early in the season, Ineos Grenadiers manager Rod Ellingworth suggested that Daniel Martinez would lead the team's overall contention at the Tour.

Bernal is looking to return to the Tour for the first time since 2020, when a back injury ruined his title defense, but he admitted earlier in the week that his summer program depends on how he survives the Dauphiné. It depends on the outcome of the race," he told FloBikes."

The Dauphiné will be a finale with a test in Crest-Volain on Friday before the weekend's mountain doubleheader.