Bernal collided at high speed into a parked bus in Bogotá during a training ride on his time trial bike, and admitted that he nearly lost his life in the incident, paying tribute to staff at the Sabana University Clinic.

He revealed that he broke nearly 20 bones - 11 ribs, one femur, one kneecap, T5 and T6 vertebrae, C2 vertebrae, a metacarpal and a thumb - and suffered a punctured lung.

The Sabana University Clinic said that Bernal is "ready to start his rehabilitation process".

"He has no complications and all his injuries are stable and in the process [of] recovery," the hospital said.

"Due to the above, we are pleased to report that today the patient has been discharged, to continue his rehabilitation process on an outpatient basis with our Institution, the first internationally accredited Clinic in Colombia in rehabilitation since 2015, by CARF [Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities] International."

Bernal had claimed he had a 95 per cent chance of becoming a paraplegic, but the 25-year-old is now on the road to recovery.

Bernal wrote on Instagram: "I almost killed myself, but you know what?

"I am grateful to God for putting me through this test.

"It is being the toughest race, but I have had a group of excellent people around me.

"Yesterday I had my last major surgery and everything seems to have gone well.

"So now to recover and make this another.

"I'm back!!

"And let's rock."

Bernal's team Ineos Grenadiers added that "Egan will now return home to begin his long rehabilitation journey - and we'll be supporting him every step of the way."

Bernal triumphed at the Giro d'Italia last year, following on from his success at the Tour de France in 2019.

The Colombian signed a fresh five-year deal with the British-based Ineos Grenadiers last month.