“I had no idea about Tadej Pogacar’s knee injury” – Jonas Vingegaard surprised to hear about rival’s Tour de France struggles in 2025

Jonas Vingegaard has admitted he was completely unaware of the knee injury that almost forced Tadej Pogacar to abandon the 2025 Tour de France — a revelation that has only now come to light thanks to Tim Wellens’ detailed account of the crisis that unfolded behind the scenes at UAE Team Emirates - XRG.

Speaking to La Dernière Heure at the Saitama Criterium in Japan, the Dane said he was taken aback to hear his great rival had been forced to undergo an emergency hospital scan mid-race. “The knee injury he recently admitted to during the third week of the Tour — I had no idea about that,” Vingegaard said. “But honestly, I don’t think about it and I just try to focus on myself. I’ve also had difficult days in Grand Tours, when I’ve been ill or run down. It’s never easy, but you have to push through — there’s no choice.”

Pogacar’s condition was far more serious than anyone outside the UAE team had realised at the time. Wellens told L’Équipe that during the stage to Valence, the world champion suddenly called for help. “He told me, ‘Tim, we have a problem — my knee is hurting a lot,’” Wellens recalled. “He was in so much pain that he had to get out of the car to be examined by the doctor. After the stage, he went to hospital for scans. They found inflammation, but nobody knew exactly what it was. We genuinely feared he might have to abandon.”

Pogacar somehow rode on to Paris, securing a historic fourth yellow jersey, but as Wellens explained, the defensive riding that puzzled many during the middle week of the race was a sign of his physical struggle, not tactical conservatism.

Despite the latest revelations, Vingegaard remains convinced that he still has the ability — and motivation — to challenge the world champion head-on.

“Sometimes Tadej can look completely untouchable. He’s incredibly strong — without question the best rider in the world right now,” he admitted. “But if I start telling myself he’s unbeatable, that would mean giving up on ever catching him. I still believe I can beat him again.”

The Visma | Lease a Bike leader added that he feels back to his pre-crash level for the first time since his terrifying accident in the 2024 Itzulia Basque Country, where he suffered multiple injuries. “It took longer than I thought to get back,” he said. “Now I can push the same watts as before — and I feel I still have space to progress. Though maybe he does too…”

Attention now turns to 2026, with both riders expected to clash again on a route Vingegaard believes could be one of the most punishing in modern Tour de France history.

“The 2026 Tour has been designed to keep the suspense alive, getting harder and harder towards the end — with a huge final week as the climax,” he explained. “To be honest, I’d have liked it to get tough a bit earlier, but either way, you’ll need to be at your absolute maximum by the finish. The penultimate stage with 5,600 metres of climbing and a finish on Alpe d’Huez — that’s a crazy stage, maybe one of the hardest ever. But I’m excited for it and I hope I’ve got great legs that day.”

With Wout van Aert expected to return to the Tour alongside him, Vingegaard was also asked about Visma’s leadership balance — and whether past tensions might resurface. The Dane, however, dismissed any concerns, insisting the team remains united around a clear objective.

“I’ve got big goals, and so has he,” he said. “We’ve shown before that we can manage that well. Wout has a big personality and he wants results — but when he’s in top form, it’s good for everyone. I know the team fully supports me for the general classification, and if the main objective is to win the Tour, that has to remain the number-one priority.”

Vingegaard also commented on another headline move in the peloton — Remco Evenepoel’s decision to switch teams for 2026 — suggesting it could mark a new chapter in the Belgian’s development.

“It’s a big change for Remco, no doubt. It’ll be interesting to see what impact it has on him,” Vingegaard reflected. “Would I have done the same in his place? Honestly, I don’t know. He’s got the same goal as me — to win all three Grand Tours. But his move doesn’t change how I see him. He’ll remain one of the top favourites whenever he starts a race.”

Calm, analytical, and quietly confident, Vingegaard appears ready for another full-scale Tour de France duel with Pogacar — one that could once again define cycling’s modern era.