"If Jonas is going to attack, it needs to be a proper one" - Danish legend questions Vingegaard's stage 2 testing of Tadej Pogacar

For so long, Tadej Pogacar has been seen as the more attacking one in his legendary rivalry with Jonas Vingegaard. In the early stages of the 2025 Tour de France however, the roles have reversed slightly, with Vingegaard attacking for fun and Pogacar being the one to try and conserve energy a bit more.

According to Vingegaard's compatriot and fellow Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis however, the tactics of Vingegaard and especially the attacks for fun on just stage 2 of a three week race, need to be questioned. “Jonas maybe picked up some easy points with that attack – it came just after the climb. I’m not entirely sure why he did it," Riis ponders in a post-stage 2 reflection for BT.dk. "Maybe just to show that he’s there.”

Vingegaard in recent years, has more often than not attempted to save his energy for the mountains, but this year seems to have ushered in a different style of riding for the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader. As mentioned though, Riis isn't sure it's a change made for the better. “This might sound a bit harsh, but I think if Jonas is going to attack, it needs to be a proper one. Otherwise, it’s better to save your energy,” he explains. “I don’t think Jonas should attack just for the sake of it. He should go when it really matters – when it can actually make a difference.”

“At this level, you have to use your energy wisely – and it looks like Pogacar has finally learned that lesson from previous years," Riis adds, comparing the difference in the two leading Maillot Jaune contenders. "He’s not burning too many matches, he’s staying calm, and he’s not under pressure.”

Riis was nevertheless entertained by the racing provided. “I thought it was a brilliant stage," he assesses. "The usual puncheurs struggled, because when the hammer really goes down, only the very best can hang on. Mathieu van der Poel was operating at an absolutely world-class level today. He’s simply phenomenal.”