"I’d rather ride poorly here and do well at the Tour" - Jonas Vingegaard not getting too excited by strong Dauphiné form

Jonas Vingegaard has made a very positive start to the 2025 Criterium du Dauphiné, earning a lot of plaudits from experts and fans along the way. Ahead of a potentially decisive stage 4 individual time trial however, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader isn't getting too excited.

"I always seem to ride poor time trials at the Dauphiné and then good ones at the Tour, so we’ll see how it goes this time," says Vingegaard with a smile in a pre-stage interview with Danish broadcasters TV2, measuring expectations of his efforts against the clock. "I’d definitely rather ride poorly here and do well at the Tour, rather than the other way around."

According to his sports director Grischa Niermann, the course is also far from perfectly suited for the Dane. "It's a cool time trial. A very tough climb — very steep at the bottom. There's a bit of wind out there today, but overall, it's a good route," begins Niermann's assessment. "It's extremely steep to tackle on a time trial bike, but there are no alternatives, so they just have to deal with it. It'll be tough. It's a crucial part of the course."

"Remco Evenepoel is the big favourite — especially on flat, straight roads. He's incredibly aerodynamic and can generate so much power," adds the Visma DS. "With that in mind, it's not an ideal time trial for Jonas, but the climb suits him well. We have to race the routes as they are — we can't ask for tailor-made courses for Jonas. It's still a good one for him."

The time trial discipline is also something that Vingegaard has been working hard on in an attempt to close the gap to Tadej Pogacar. "A lot of it has been about optimising his position in the aero bars, but also building his overall position on the bike to work in harmony with the new helmet. That took a bit of learning — understanding how to really take advantage of the helmet's shape," explains Visma coach Jamie Lowden. "This year, I think the main change has been that his hands are slightly higher and closer together. He’s also riding with shorter crank arms, which allows him to stay powerful even in a more aggressive position."