“I actually find them quite stupid remarks" - Jonas Vingegaard at the centre in war of words as Brian Holm launches defence of Visma leader
Cycling
Brian Holm has hit back at criticism aimed towards Jonas Vingegaard, insisting that Johan Bruyneel's comments declaring the Dane wouldn't win the Tour de France again as 'nonsense'.
Former Danish team manager Holm was critical of the former team manager's assessment of the Visma rider, with Bruyneel stating that the Dutch team's project around Vingegaard and the Tour de France was over and that the Dane could retire in the near future.
Vingegaard won Paris Nice, Volta a Catalunya and dominated the Giro d'Italia before coming face-to-face with Tadej Pogacar at the Tour de France. However, he crashed out of stage 15 with a broken collarbone while in second place - 4:30 behind the Slovenian in the yellow jersey race.
Speaking after Vingegaard and Pogacar's 2026 seasons were officially in the books, Bruyneel believes that Vingegaard is 'at his limit' in the race to match Pogacar in a conversation about the rise of Paul Seixas.
"Something tells me—and I don't have any information on this, it's purely a hunch—that Jonas is at his limit," Bruyneel declared on The Move Podcast.
"We don’t know for sure, because he dropped out of the Tour de France, but he would never have come close to Pogacar. Maybe he would have finished second. He won the Giro in dominant fashion and the Vuelta the year before, but Visma wants to win the Tour."
Johan Bruyneel
Bruyneel thinks Vingegaard could retire in near future
Bruyneel believes the 29-year-old, contracted until the end of the 2028 season, could be entering the final years of his career.
Bruyneel added: "And Jonas isn’t going to win the Tour, unless something happens to Pogacar... Project Jonas for the future is over.
“From what I understand from people who have some inside information from Denmark and the surrounding area, Jonas won’t be racing much more. He has other priorities, but he won’t race until he’s 35. He’ll ride for another two or three years.”
Holm, who is currently a sports director at Soudal Quick-Step, slammed the Belgian's comments as he defended his compatriot - pointing to his Giro success in 2026.
Holm defends Vingegaard
“I actually find them quite stupid remarks when they say that he can't keep up anymore and will probably quit soon," Holm responded to Eurosport.
"Just look at the results he is achieving this year. Isn't that insane? And then we have to read such nonsense."
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Focusing on Bruyneel, Holm referenced his past with Lance Armstrong, who managed the American during his comeback from retirement in 2009.
He added: “A man who is writing Jonas off now, while he himself tried to bring Armstrong back after he had retired for three or four years. That is quite funny, isn't it?”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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