“Jonas just destroyed everybody” - Victor Campenaerts in awe of Jonas Vingegaard’s brilliance at Paris-Nice 2026

Victor Campenaerts said even inside Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the scale of Jonas Vingegaard’s performance on Stage 5 of Paris-Nice left riders impressed, after the Danish race leader tore the race apart with a devastating long-range attack.

Vingegaard accelerated on the steep slopes of the Côte de Saint-Jean-de-Muzols with around twenty kilometres remaining and quickly distanced the remaining contenders before riding alone to the finish.

Campenaerts, who had earlier been part of the day’s breakaway before dropping back to support the yellow jersey, said the moment the attack landed, it became clear what was happening.

“It was quite exciting to follow on the radio,” Campenaerts explained afterwards in conversation with Cycling Pro Net. “The riders were staying within reach for a while, but then Jonas just destroyed everybody.”

The Belgian had been closely involved in the tactical buildup to the move that decided the stage. Campenaerts initially followed a counterattack from the peloton to cover a dangerous move as the breakaway formed. “First of all, it was a very hard start,” Campenaerts said. “Straight away, Edoardo Affini went into a really high pace, keeping a very strong breakaway within reach.”

Movistar riders later bridged across to the move, forcing Visma to react again. “It was also dangerous because Movistar riders jumped across. I tried to cover that move so I could save my legs.”

From there, the team’s strategy became clear once the race approached the steepest climb in the finale. “Then it was the plan indeed to go on that very steep climb and try to grab everybody by the throat.”

While the performance appeared brutal from the outside, Campenaerts suggested that the signs had been visible within the team long before the race began.

According to the Belgian, Vingegaard had already looked sharp during winter preparation and arrived at Paris-Nice with clear intentions. “He has been very relaxed since the December training camp and clearly felt ready,” Campenaerts said. “When we came to Paris-Nice, it was not just to do race miles. It was to come here and smash it.”

Vingegaard’s attack ultimately left the rest of the general classification contenders scattered across several chase groups as he rode alone towards the finish.

For Campenaerts, the stage also reflected the strength of the team surrounding the Danish leader. “He is in extremely good shape, and it’s very nice to race this way,” he said. “I think as a team we were extremely strong today.”

The result not only delivered Vingegaard another stage victory at Paris-Nice but also reinforced the impression that the two-time Tour de France winner has arrived at the race in formidable early-season condition.

Campenaerts' transition into a super-domestique for Vingegaard is one of the tactical triumphs of the 2026 transfer market. His ability to 'read the radio' and interpret the race while it’s exploding around him allows Vingegaard to stay in a 'relaxed' mental state until the exact moment of the attack. As Campenaerts noted, the team isn't just riding for time; they are riding for psychological impact—trying to 'grab the throat' of the competition before the Tour de France even begins.