"I doubted myself... Now I can say that I am back!" - Jonas Vingegaard growing in confidence after following Tadej Pogacar's first Tour de France attack
Cycling
Expectations weren't all that high for Jonas Vingegaard at the 2024 Tour de France, given all he's been through so far in 2024. In the surest sign yet of his recovery however, the defending Tour champion was the only man able to follow Tadej Pogacar's first attack of the race on stage 2.
“Today was a really good day for me,” reflected a very upbeat Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader in his post-stage interview with the assembled press, having matched his old rival on the steep slopes of the San Luca and moved up to 3rd in the general classification after two stages. “It was one of those days where I expected to lose some time to Pogacar, so to be able to follow him feels like a win.”
When Pogacar made his move, only Vingegaard was quick enough and strong enough to react. Despite the two Tour de France titans working in tandem on the descent however, Remco Evenepoel and Richard Carapaz were able to bridge across and ensure the fight for the Maillot Jaune isn't a two horse race just yet.
“We rode a high pace from the start of the climb and UAE Emirates took over. When Pogacar attacked, I was fortunately able to follow him. At the top, I decided to ride with him,” recalls the 27-year-old Vingegaard, who showed no affects of his nightmare preparation, either mentally or physically. “My pedal hit the ground somewhere along the way and I thought back to the injuries. But I wouldn’t say I’m afraid on the descents.”
“It is difficult to start a race when you do not know how good you are. I have trained for a month and a half so it was very difficult to say where I would be,” concludes Vingegaard with the confidence visibly growing in his demeanour. “I also doubted myself, that's not a lie. But now I can say that I am back and I hope we have three good weeks here.”
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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🇫🇷 #TDF2024 Grande, Jonas. 💪
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