Team Visma | Lease a Bike were big favourites to triumph in the team time trial on Wednesday. However one team - UAE Team Emirates - XRG - emerged stronger in Figuerers, taking 8 seconds on the Dutch formation. The absence of Axel Zingle certainly did not help the result, but co-leader Matteo Jorgenson sees another reason for the defeat.
"I think we misjudged the wind a bit from the reconnaissance; we thought we'd have a tailwind at the beginning," the American explained. "That's why we held back a bit. But we always plan to be a bit faster in the second half. If we were faster in the second half, it makes sense because of the tailwind. We came back a bit, but it wasn't enough for the win."
That could be a good enough justification for the defeat. "It wasn't really a mistake, but we came here to win," said Vingegaard's domestique. "We didn't manage that, but of course those 7 seconds (it was 8, ed.) won't be the winning margin in Madrid. We have to analyze today and see why we didn't win."
Jorgenson himself moves up in the general classification to a seventh place, 16 seconds behind his leader. Can the American hold up to the expectations for the rest of the Vuelta, unlike at the Tour where he wasn't really in the picture in the second half of the race? "I was able to push hard, and it felt fast. We have to work on some things, but personally, it felt really good."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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