"It’s great to race against Tadej Pogacar, but it’s also nice when he’s not there” - Relaxed Jonas Vingegaard embraces pressure of Vuelta favouritism
Cycling
Nearly four weeks after finishing runner-up once again at the 2025 Tour de France, Jonas Vingegaard heads into the Vuelta a Espana as the clear favourite. The Dane’s consistent form and tactical nous have established him as the rider to beat, but his attitude towards the pressure is remarkably composed — especially with key rivals like Tadej Pogacar absent.
“It’s always great to race against Tadej,” Vingegaard told the media during his pre-race virtual press conference. “But it’s also nice when he’s not there.” While Pogacar remains the benchmark in grand tours, his absence at this year’s Vuelta opens a door for Vingegaard to pursue his first victory in Spain with less direct competition from his fiercest rival.
Pressure Feels Different at the Vuelta
With Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel, and Primoz Roglic all out of the Vuelta, Vingegaard is the natural favourite. Yet he insists the pressure feels lighter than it did at the Tour de France. “The Tour brings so much more attention and expectation. Here, I’m focused on the race itself and my own performance.”
The Vuelta is a target Vingegaard holds dear. “Winning the Vuelta is definitely a goal in my career, and I’m here to achieve it,” he confirmed. This ambition is backed by a thorough preparation; after the Tour, he spent quality time with family near Lake Annecy and managed to complete nearly all his training objectives.
Vingegaard is the standout favourite to win the Red Jersey
Off Days in the Tour, Lessons Learned
Although Vingegaard experienced a few “off days” during the Tour, he maintains those challenges won’t define his season. “That can happen to anyone in a three-week race. Hopefully, I’ve had my share for the year.” He declined to reveal details about these dips in form but hinted his team has identified some causes, choosing to keep those insights private.
Looking ahead, Vingegaard singled out UAE Team Emirates’ Juan Ayuso and João Almeida as his biggest challengers. “They have two strong riders and will be my main rivals,” he said, acknowledging their tactical depth.
Notably, Vingegaard opted not to train at altitude ahead of the Vuelta. “Physically, altitude training might have been beneficial, but the mental side is equally important. Balancing both is key.”
The Changing Landscape of Professional Cycling
Reflecting on the evolution of professional cycling, Vingegaard pointed to rising pressures on young riders. “I’m turning 29, and ten years ago, that age was when riders began achieving big results. Now, there’s more pressure at a younger age, which can be exhausting.”
He doesn’t expect riders to maintain peak performance into their late 30s or 40s in this era of intense racing and frequent training camps. “The demands take a toll on the body and mind.”
As the Vuelta kicks off, Jonas Vingegaard stands ready — calm, confident, and hungry to add the red jersey to his growing list of grand tour achievements.
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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- I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026 - Indeed! A reluctant gift maybe. Even more reluctant gift from Roglic! Tho I can’t see that Rog would have beaten Ving anyway.Lozza14-11-2026
- That really nasty crash in 2022 Liege must have played a big part - broken ribs, pneumothorax. You only have to look at his points tallies pre and post.Lozza14-11-2026
- Yeah, good luck getting tv and race organisers like ASO etc to part with their cash!Lozza14-11-2026
- 36 and Ineos have bought a rider on the downward slope. Bring back Dave and Rob who could manage the team. How are Ineos going to win a grand tour with people past their sell by date.paultryan200214-11-2026
- Mmmm would he be making these comments when he was on the richest team when riding. I think not i suspect. If we want money put into the sport we need sponsors who are prepared to put the money in. No disrespect but his team are 2nd or 3rd div in football terms with riders over the hill or 2nd string riders. If i was a sponsor i would be looking at what publicity am i getting back and Tudor really are just making up the numbers really.paultryan200214-11-2026
- I see (elsewhere) that Alaphilippe had more to say than what got relayed in this stub. Me: he was very good early but his latter third trajectory was the pits. His old boss did what he could (huffed and puffed) but Julian couldn't get his greatness back. Sometimes I wonder if crashes that didn't look like much changed the course of the rider.flyer14-11-2026
- I wouldn't classify it as a gift because the nasty consequences of taking it from Sepp would have been great and would persist and he knew it.flyer14-11-2026
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