“I wanted to win for my best friend" - Tearful Jonas Vingegaard dedicates Vuelta stage win to Nathan Van Hooydonck

Jumbo-Visma have been dominant throughout the 2023 Vuelta a Espana but ahead of stage 16, the team were extra motivation after news emerged that teammate Nathan Van Hooydonck had been involved in a serious car accident. Jonas Vingegaard in particular was determined to win the day.

“I am especially happy that I won today, because we received terrible news this morning,” the Dane, who moved up to second in the general classification as a result of his victory on stage 16, opened his post-stage interview. “I wanted to win for my best friend. This victory is for him."

Vingegaard and Van Hooydonck have worked together well in the past, most recently as the Jumbo-Visma pair teamed up at the Tour de France earlier this year as Vingegaard took a second Maillot Jaune of his career. Thankfully, the latest updates on the Belgian are positive.

“Fortunately there is better news about him, about his condition. That is a big relief for me and for the team. I hope he will recover quickly," Vingegaard reveals before dodging questions of whether or not he will attack again in the coming days and try to take the Red Jersey of his teammate Sepp Kuss. “I don't know… I want to enjoy this moment and not think about that.”