"I was more exhausted than I have ever been before" - Jonas Vingegaard explains how 2024 Tour de France efforts 'devastated' him physically
Cycling
Few expected Jonas Vingegaard to challenge for the Maillot Jaune following his horror crash at the Itzulia Basque Country earlier this year. Courageously though, the Dane pushed Tadej Pogacar at the 2024 Tour de France, digging deeper into his reserves than he ever had done before.
Although post-Tour de France, Vingegaard raced the Classica San Sebastian and the Tour de Pologne, the lack of action from the Dane did lead to criticism from some. As explained by the man himself though, he quite simply had emptied the tank at the Tour de France, and with the birth of his second child imminent chose to rest up and recover completely, at home with the family.
"I was more exhausted than I have ever been before after this Tour de France," explains Vingegaard in quotes collected by Ekstra Bladet. "It also meant that I had to take more of a break. At first I didn't allow myself to take a break because I had to ride the Tour de Pologne, but then I took it. I had to do that too. I could feel that after the Tour I was riding a lot on the pumps. It was the very last thing I had in me."
"I needed a break. At that time, I tried to continue and race in Poland as well. It went well, but I was far from my normal level there," he continues. "I had a bit of a down period because I was so tired and exhausted. I had spent so much energy getting ready for the Tour, so it's normal for there to be a period afterwards when I'm completely exhausted and devastated."
The World Championships were again absent from Vingegaard's calendar in 2024, with rival Pogacar completing a historic victory in Zurich. "I've really just taken it nice and easy. I've needed that break. In relation to the World Championships, it wasn't because I went on maternity leave. It was because I was so exhausted after the season I've had," the Dane concludes.
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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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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totalky understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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