"He’d get destroyed by Pogacar in a one-day race. The Worlds or Lombardia isn’t the Tour’s stage 1" - French ex-pro dismisses Jonas Vingegaard's Rainbow Jersey ambitions
Cycling
Jonas Vingegaard has become a fixture at the top of Grand Tour podiums — but when it comes to cycling’s most prestigious one-day races, serious doubts remain. On Eurosport France’s Bistrot Vélo podcast, former pro Thomas Rossetto didn’t mince words when asked about Vingegaard’s prospects at the World Championships or Il Lombardia.
“He’d get destroyed by Pogacar in a one-day race. The Worlds or Lombardia isn’t the Tour’s stage 1,” Rossetto said flatly, questioning whether the Dane is built for the demands of single-day racing.
The remark came in the context of Vingegaard’s status as overwhelming favourite for the Vuelta a Espana — where his Grand Tour credentials are not in question. But the podcast’s discussion quickly pivoted to a more speculative topic: could Vingegaard eventually challenge Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel in the Monuments or at the World Championships?
From Grand Tours to One-Day Glory?
The host of the show expressed a growing curiosity shared by many cycling fans: seeing Vingegaard test himself beyond the Grand Tours. “I want to see that matchup — not in stage races, but in one-day races,” he said. “On hard, hilly terrain, Vingegaard is Pogacar’s best rival. I just want to see a real battle.”
Rossetto however, was more sceptical. “One-day races aren’t Grand Tour stages,” he said. “The Kigali Worlds will be 250 kilometres — six or seven hours on the bike. That’s a different sport. Vingegaard’s not used to that kind of racing.”
It’s hard to argue with the facts. Vingegaard has barely featured in one-day events in recent years. Since the start of the 2024 season, he has entered just one: the Clásica San Sebastián, which he did not finish. And he’s never lined up for the Worlds as a professional. Nor has he ever raced the Olympic Games.
As such, Rossetto remains unconvinced: “I’ve seen what happens when riders try to cross over. He’s not one of the few who can do both. At Worlds? I’d bet against him every time.”
Vingegaard is widely expected to make a World Championship debut in Rwanda later this year
Unquestioned Vuelta Favourite
Where there is no division between the analysts is in Vingegaard’s position as Vuelta a Espana favourite. In their star ratings for the race, Vingegaard was the only rider to receive five stars. UAE duo João Almeida and Juan Ayuso were each given three. No one was awarded four — a deliberate decision to reflect the gap between the Dane and the rest.
“I might have given four stars to Ayuso and Almeida. But beyond those three, there’s a big drop-off,” explained Rossetto. “I just hope Almeida and Ayuso aren’t already three minutes behind after Andorra. Because if Vingegaard is in Tour form, it might be over before it starts.”
Light Racing Load, Maximum Focus
Vingegaard’s 2025 campaign has been deliberately sparse. He raced in the Algarve early in the season, suffered a crash at Paris–Nice, returned for the Critérium du Dauphiné, and then the Tour de France. That’s been his entire calendar. “He hasn’t raced much in the past year and a half — maybe too little,” Rossetto said. “But the Vuelta could be where he hits his peak.”
There were signs during the Tour that Vingegaard had his eyes on the Vuelta. He notably avoided contesting the Champs-Élysées, and looked to be riding more conservatively in the final stages. For Rossetto, this was no accident. “He was thinking ahead. He didn’t burn all his matches. And unlike last year, when he finished behind Sepp Kuss, this time I think he’ll want the win himself.”
For now, Vingegaard’s dominance remains tied to three-week races. Whether that legacy ever extends to cycling’s one-day classics is a question still unanswered — and perhaps, one that Vingegaard has yet to ask himself.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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