"I hope he doesn’t get any better" - Jonas Vingegaard says 'time will tell' if Tadej Pogacar is peaking too soon for 2025 Tour de France
Cycling
For many riders, their calendars are designed around peaking at one race in particular every season. For others, they target 2 or 3 peaks within a season. Tadej Pogacar however, has shown over recent years that he can hold a peak throughout the entire campaign. Nevertheless, the Slovenian's main Maillot Jaune rival, Jonas Vingegaard is hopeful tiredness may catch up with Pogacar at the 2025 Tour de France.
At the recent Criterium du Dauphiné, things started well for Vingegaard, with the Dane sitting ahead of his Slovenian rival heading into the high mountains. That though, was when things started to go wrong. On the final weekend of the Dauphine, Pogacar sent out a Tour de France warning to Vingegaard and co by putting on a series of mountain masterclasses and claiming a dominant overall victory.
Still, Vingegaard is able to reflect on his Dauphine with positivity. “I’d hoped I’d be able to stay with him when it really mattered. But I also think my strength lies in the long, punishing days — especially as a Grand Tour progresses,” Vingegaard told TV 2 Sport. “So that’s what we have to believe in — and hope that’s where we can make the difference.”
In particular, Vingegaard things fatigue could be a weapon used to his advantage next month at the Tour de France. “You’re simply more fatigued by the time you hit the final climb. And of course, this will also be towards the end of a Grand Tour. That’s when everyone is worn out — and hopefully, that’ll be to my advantage too,” explains the two-time Maillot Jaune winner.
As mentioned already though, when it comes to Pogacar, thoughts of fatigue are more in hope that expectation. “Yes, of course I hope he doesn’t get any better — and that I do improve before the Tour," Vingegaard concludes. "But time will tell.”
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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- Where Merckx just rode every single race he could and won all the time, Hinault won less often (percentage wise) because he was more judicious in what he raced. His palmares are nuts. He had amazing rivals, one to start his career and another to end it in the grand tours. His classics were solid. What sets him apart from Merckx and Pogačar are that he basically dabbled in the classics while the other two love(d) them. I used to compare Pogačar to Hinault for his grand tour record and occasional classics win, until I realized that the comparison was wrong. Pogačar loves the classics - ah, the memory of his reaction to finishing fourth in a 2 person sprint in Flanders in ‘22: utter domination in any one day race since then, even when he doesn’t win. Hinault lived for the grand tours and I don’t think anyone else will ever reach his record. 10 wins in 13 attempts? Good lord. An amazing rider. Wish there was more footage to watch.RidesHills11-11-2026
- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
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