Bernhard Eisel

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Bernhard Eisel

| image = Grand départ 2017 087.jpg

| caption = Eisel, Düsseldorf, Tour de France, 2017.

| fullname = Bernhard Eisel

| nickname = Bernie

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|2|17}}

| birth_place = Voitsberg, Austria

| height = {{convert|1.83|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|78|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| currentteam = Retired

| discipline = Road

| role = Rider

| ridertype = Classics specialist
Road captain

| amateuryears1 = -

| amateurteam1 = Rinascita Ormelle

| amateuryears2 = -

| amateurteam2 = Gli Amici Piave

| proyears1 = 2001–2002

| proteam1 = {{UCI team code|MAP|2001}}

| proyears2 = 2003–2006

| proteam2 = {{UCI team code|FDJ|2003}}

| proyears3 = 2007–2011

| proteam3 = {{UCI team code|THR|2007a}}

| proyears4 = 2012–2015

| proteam4 = {{UCI team code|SKY|2012}}{{cite news|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cavendish-eisel-join-team-sky|title=Cavendish, Eisel join Team Sky|work=Cycling News|publisher=Future Publishing Limited|date=11 October 2011|access-date=6 January 2012}}{{cite news|url=http://62.50.72.82/UCIBWS/(S(juhnxycdwbv5tbcixhvnfyby))/Teams/detail/en/ROA/3009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140102050916/http://62.50.72.82/UCIBWS/(S(juhnxycdwbv5tbcixhvnfyby))/Teams/detail/en/ROA/3009|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 January 2014|title=Team Sky (SKY) – GBR|access-date=4 January 2014|work=UCI World Tour|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale}}

| proyears5 = 2016–2019

| proteam5 = {{UCI team code|DDD|2016}}{{cite news|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dimension-data-finalise-2019-roster/|title=Dimension Data finalise 2019 roster|work=Cyclingnews.com|publisher=Immediate Media Company|date=22 November 2018|access-date=4 January 2019}}

| majorwins = Grand Tours

:Vuelta a España

::1 TTT stage (2010)

One-day races and Classics

:Gent–Wevelgem (2010)

:Paris–Bourges (2008)

}}

Bernhard Eisel (born 17 February 1981) is an Austrian former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2001 and 2019 for the {{UCI team code|MAP|2002}}, {{UCI team code|FDJ|2006}}, {{UCI team code|THR|2011}}, {{UCI team code|SKY|2015}} and {{UCI team code|DDD|2019}} teams. Following his retirement, he worked as an analyst and presenter for Eurosport and the Global Cycling Network (GCN),{{cite web |url=https://media.eurosport.com/pressweb/5c7d21fabf603/post/global-cycling-network-announces-former-road-racer-bernie-eisel- |title=Global Cycling Network announces former road racer Bernie Eisel as new presenter|date=3 March 2020 |website=Eurosport |access-date=4 October 2020}} before joining {{UCI team code|BOH|2022}} as a directeur sportif in 2022.

Career

Born in Voitsberg, Eisel won his first race when he was 11 years old, since then he has won many races. When he was 17, he moved to Italy to race for the team Rinascita Ormelle, based in Treviso. After that he moved to Gli Amici Piave, the team of Moreno Argentin. In 2001 he joined the team {{UCI team code|MAP|2001}} and became a professional cyclist, from 2003 on he joined {{UCI team code|FDJ|2003}}.

In 2007, Eisel changed to {{UCI team code|THR|2007a}}. Eisel enjoyed a successful first season with his main victory coming on Stage 2 of the Volta ao Algarve. Eisel established himself as the right-hand man of sprinter and teammate Mark Cavendish, protecting him throughout the flats and mountain stages{{cite web|last=McGrath|first=Andy|title=Eisel follows Cavendish to Team Sky|url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/530430/eisel-follows-cavendish-to-team-sky.html|publisher=Cycling Weekly|access-date=11 October 2011|date=11 October 2011}} and forming part of the HTC lead out train that saw Cavendish take many notable victories in the Tour de France and other races. Eisel also had opportunities to ride for himself, mainly in the classics. He won Paris–Bourges in 2008 and Gent–Wevelgem in 2010, and in 2011, Eisel recorded his best placing in a monument by finishing seventh in Paris–Roubaix. Eisel was appointed as a member of the inaugural UCI Athletes' Commission in 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-athletes-commission-holds-first-meeting-in-aigle |title=UCI Athletes' Commission holds first meeting in Aigle |last1=Ryan |first1=Barry |date=5 March 2015 |website=cyclingnews.com|access-date=5 March 2015}}

Following the announcement that {{UCI team code|THR|2011|nolink=yes}} would fold at the end of 2011, Eisel joined Mark Cavendish in moving to {{UCI team code|SKY|2012}}. After Cavendish announced he would cut his three-year deal with the team short to move to {{UCI team code|OPQ|2013}}, Eisel announced he would stay with {{UCI team code|SKY|2012|nolink=yes}} until the end of the 2015 season.{{cite web|title=Eisel extends with Sky until 2015|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/eisel-extends-with-sky-until-2015|work=Cyclingnews.com|publisher=Future Publishing Limited|access-date=21 October 2012|date=19 October 2012}}

On 28 September 2015, Sky announced that Eisel would be among the riders leaving the team at the end of the year, following four seasons with the team.{{cite news|title=Team Sky confirm 2016 line-up|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-confirm-2016-line-up/|access-date=29 September 2015|work=Cyclingnews.com|publisher=Immediate Media Company|date=28 September 2015}} The following day it was announced that he had joined Cavendish (and Mark Renshaw, their former teammate at HTC) in signing for {{UCI team code|MTN|2015}} – to be renamed as {{UCI team code|MTN|2016|nolink=y}}.{{cite news |last1=O'Shea |first1=Sadhbh |title=Mark Cavendish joins Team Dimension Data for 2016 |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mark-cavendish-joins-team-dimenson-data-for-2016/ |access-date=29 September 2015 |work=Cyclingnews.com |publisher=Immediate Media Company |date=29 September 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120233546/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mark-cavendish-joins-team-dimenson-data-for-2016/ |archive-date=20 November 2015 }}

On 14 January 2020 he announced his retirement from professional racing. Shortly afterwards he took up a role as a presenter, reporter and commentator for Eurosport and Global Cycling Network (GCN).{{cite web |url=https://www.olympia.at/main.asp?kat1=87&kat2=538&NID=27553&scsqs=1 |title=Eisel kehrt zurück|date=4 March 2020|website=Austrian Olympic Committee|language=de |trans-title=Eisel returns |access-date=4 October 2020}} In November 2021 {{UCI team code|BOH|2021}} announced that Eisel would join them as a directeur sportif from the 2022 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.velonews.com/news/road/bernhard-eisel-and-enrico-gasparotto-join-bora-hansgrohe-as-sport-directors/ |title=Bernhard Eisel and Enrico Gasparotto join Bora-Hansgrohe as sport directors |author= |date=13 November 2021 |website=VeloNews |access-date=4 March 2022}}

Major results

;1999

: 5th Road race, UCI Junior Road World Championships

;2002

: 1st Radclassic-Gleisdorf

: 2nd Overall Paris–Corrèze

: 4th Overall GP Erik Breukink

;2003 (2 pro wins)

: 1st Stage 4 Tour du Limousin

: 3rd Overall GP Erik Breukink

::1st Stage 2

: 7th Overall Circuit Franco-Belge

;2004

: 1st Stage 3 Criterium des Espoirs

: 1st Bad Ischl

: 5th Scheldeprijs

: 7th Overall Tour de Picardie

;2005 (4)

: Volta ao Algarve

::1st 20px Points classification

::1st Stages 1 & 4

: 1st Stage 1 Tour de Suisse

: 2nd Overall Grande Prémio Internacional Costa Azul

::1st Points classification

::1st Stage 4

;2006 (3)

: 1st Stage 4 Tour of Qatar

: 1st Stage 2 Volta ao Algarve

: 1st Grazer Altstadt Kriterium

: 1st Mayrhofen Europa-Kriterium

: 2nd Overall Three Days of De Panne

::1st 20px Points classification

::1st Stage 2a

: 2nd Overall Grande Prémio Internacional Costa Azul

: 5th Paris–Roubaix

: 7th Gent–Wevelgem

;2007 (3)

: 1st Lancaster Classic

: 1st Reading Classic

: 1st Stage 2 Volta ao Algarve

: 1st Linz criterium

: 3rd Philadelphia International Championship

: 4th Overall Tour of Qatar

: 8th Trofeo Palma

;2008 (2)

: 1st Paris–Bourges

: 1st Stage 5 Volta ao Algarve

: 3rd Reading Classic

: 4th Philadelphia International Championship

: 6th E3 Prijs Vlaanderen

: 9th Lancaster Classic

;2009 (1)

: 1st Stage 2 Tour de Suisse

: 1st Welser Sparkassen Innenstadt-Kriterium

: 2nd Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne

: 3rd Road race, National Road Championships

: 9th Scheldeprijs

;2010 (1)

: 1st Gent–Wevelgem

: 1st Stage 1 (TTT) Vuelta a España

: 7th Paris–Bourges

: 8th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

: 9th Paris–Tours

;2011

: 7th Paris–Roubaix

: 7th Gent–Wevelgem

: 8th Overall Tour of Qatar

;2012

: 3rd E3 Harelbeke

;2013

: 5th Overall Tour of Qatar

: 7th Gent–Wevelgem

: 10th Milan–San Remo

;2014

: 3rd Road race, National Road Championships

;2017

: 1st {{cjersey|Arctic Race of Norway Climber 2019}} Mountains classification, Arctic Race of Norway

=Grand Tour general classification results timeline=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \| Grand Tour ! scope="col" \| 2003 ! scope="col" \| 2004 ! scope="col" \| 2005 ! scope="col" \| 2006 ! scope="col" \| 2007 ! scope="col" \| 2008 ! scope="col" \| 2009 ! scope="col" \| 2010 ! scope="col" \| 2011 ! scope="col" \| 2012 ! scope="col" \| 2013 ! scope="col" \| 2014 ! scope="col" \| 2015 ! scope="col" \| 2016 ! scope="col" \| 2017
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| File:Jersey pink.svg Giro d'Italia \| 63 \| — \| — \| — \| — \| — \| — \| — \| — \| 152 \| — \| 138 \| 143 \| — \| —
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| File:Jersey yellow.svg Tour de France \| — \| 131 \| 143 \| 107 \| 121 \| 144 \| 150 \| 155 \| 160 \| 146 \| — \| 126 \| — \| 171 \| 153
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| File:Jersey red.svg Vuelta a España \| — \| — \| DNF \| DNF \| — \| — \| — \| DNF \| — \| — \| — \| — \| — \| — \| —

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Grand Tour

! scope="col" | 2003

! scope="col" | 2004

! scope="col" | 2005

! scope="col" | 2006

! scope="col" | 2007

! scope="col" | 2008

! scope="col" | 2009

! scope="col" | 2010

! scope="col" | 2011

! scope="col" | 2012