"He wants to put him in a coffin, at least mentally" - Jonas Vingegaard's compatriot believes Tadej Pogacar holds a personal grudge
Cycling
The ongoing Tour de France is a deja vu of the 2025 edition when it comes to Tadej Pogacar's domination over his rivals in the overall classification. Behind the scenes, EF Education-EasyPost rider Michael Valgren - compatriot of Jonas Vingegaard - believes the World Champion holds a grudge over the Dane.
Tadej Pogacar holds a grudge on Jonas Vingegaard
“To the media, Pogi is happy and all that, but I think he’s kind of holding a grudge against Jonas," Valgren argued on the Domestique Hotseat podcast. "He wants to put him in a coffin, at least mentally.”
Valgren spoke of the matter during the ongoing Tour where he and the American team are out of the fight for the overall classification. But the duo's rivalry has taken over the spotlight for another year.
Since 2021, Pogacar and Vingegaard have finished first and second on every edition of the Grand Boucle, something that seems to be on par to happen once again in 2026. On the stage to Gavarnie, the Slovenian put in a massive gap over his rivals that has already put him in a comfortable position.
After Vingegaard won the Tour in 2022 and 2023 - coming in the way of Pogacar's Tour de France record, which would've now already reached the top with six triumphs, Valgren believes that Visma and their tactics take Pogacar into a different mindset, where it's not only the victory that matters.
Into stage 10, the shorter climbs are better adapted to Pogacar, and Valgren believes that UAE Team Emirates - XRG will seize the opportunity to torture their rivals and try to extend the lead in the fight for the yellow jersey on roads where Vingegaard beat Pogacar two years ago.
“I think they’re going to go all out and try to bury Jonas once more, to really cook him mentally,” the veteran argues. “It’s almost as if Pogacar is thinking 'this was the last time he beat me, but now I’m going to beat him even more emphatically.’ That’s my kind of fear for tomorrow.”
Tadej Pogacar and Isaac del Toro have been getting the best of Jonas Vingegaard thus far
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EF Education-EasyPost looking for a stage win at the Tour
For those looking to win stages from breakaways, it is bad news, and that iincludes Valgren. “Maybe if you look at each of us as an individual, we’re not the strongest,. But as a group, I think we are probably the best breakaway team that’s here.”
Richard Carapaz came in as a leader for EF Education at the Tour, but has since dropped out of the fight for the overall classification. The team lacks a sprinter to fight for the flat days or a time trialist, and so is exclusively betting their chips on breakaways.
So far no luck, but Alex Baudin has spent some days in the lead of the KOM classification and the form looks promising for a few riders. “I wouldn’t say it’s been a successful Tour if we stop now, but it also wouldn't be the worst".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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