Is Jonas Vingegaard heading to Liege–Bastogne–Liege to race Pogacar? “If he races, it is to compete for the win”

Jonas Vingegaard’s 2025 season has yet to gather any momentum. After suffering a concussion and abandoning Paris–Nice last month, the two-time Tour de France winner has remained absent from racing, missing his planned return at the Volta a Catalunya.

That race, ultimately won by Primoz Roglic, would have provided a valuable indicator of form ahead of the summer, but instead, Team Visma | Lease a Bike are recalibrating Vingegaard’s build-up to his biggest goal: the Tour de France.

So when will we see the Danish champion in action again? And more intriguingly, when could the cycling world be treated to another head-to-head clash between Vingegaard and his great rival, Tadej Pogacar?

For now, the answers remain fluid. Speaking to Wielerflits, Visma’s head of racing Grischa Niermann confirmed that Vingegaard’s recovery is progressing positively, but emphasised that everything remains subordinate to Tour de France preparation.

“We would have liked to have Jonas at the start [in Catalunya], of course. That was not possible, but things are definitely going in the right direction for him,” said Niermann. “It is true that we are now looking at what is possible for him. That depends on when Jonas really feels completely fit again. And whether we can then fit an extra race into his program. But it goes without saying that preparing for the Tour has absolute priority for us.”

There’s a sense of caution, and realism, in Niermann’s comments. Unlike some of his rivals who have already banked early-season race days, Vingegaard’s return will not be rushed. Visma are clearly unwilling to compromise his summer goals by squeezing in a race for the sake of it. As Niermann explained, talk of specific comeback events is premature, especially given logistical constraints and the team’s broader race calendar.

“I read somewhere in a sports newspaper which races are an option for Jonas. But a number of those possibilities are not on our calendar at all. I also think we do not have enough riders in our selection to suddenly fit a new stage race into our program. But of course there are options if we later think that Jonas needs an extra race. It has to be in function of the Tour, that is the most important thing for us.”

It’s a pragmatic approach to say the least, and it is true that Vingegaard has never been a rider who needs heavy racing to find form. His traditional formula (altitude training camps and a selective race calendar) has worked wonders over the past two years, which is especially impressive considering in 2024 the first time he raced after his spring crash was at the Tour.

Yet the enforced pause caused by his crash this spring has forced Visma to revisit their plans. Niermann made clear that a new schedule is being built with his trainers, and that any race added will only be considered if it meaningfully contributes to Tour readiness.

That mindset, of racing only when in winning shape, is central to Vingegaard’s philosophy, and one that Visma are clearly committed to preserving.

“It’s always great when Jonas rides a race,” Niermann continued. “Normally, if he participates, it means he’s good enough to compete for the win in that race. That’s in line with what we want: to win races. On the other hand, Jonas is our big focus for the summer, for the Tour de France. And we also have him in mind to perhaps ride the Vuelta a España. Then you have to set priorities.”

With those priorities in mind, the team is wary of overloading his calendar or disrupting altitude training blocks. Niermann was clear that any extra race would need to serve a specific purpose: sharpening race sharpness without compromising the physical foundations built at altitude.

"We’re not going to send him to races that make it more difficult to go on altitude training. That’s not how it works, of course. If he does an extra race, it has to contribute to the Tour."

Naturally, attention has turned to the races on the calendar that could potentially suit Vingegaard’s return, most notably the Ardennes Classics and the Tour de Romandie. While the Walloon races would mark a departure from his usual approach, they do offer competitive intensity without the length of a full stage race.

But again, the message is one of caution. “We are looking into that,” said Niermann, referring to options like Liège–Bastogne–Liège or Romandie. “But we are not going to send Jonas to a race at half strength. If he races, it is to compete for the win and he must therefore be 100% fit.”

The mere prospect of Vingegaard heading to Liege to face off with Pogacar is enough to get us cycling fans talking in anticipation. Could we finally be about to see the two great GC riders of their era go head to head at a monument?