“Jonas produced his best ever climbing performance on Mont Ventoux” – Visma say Vingegaard heads to Vuelta in peak form despite Pogacar Tour defeat

Despite finishing runner-up to Tadej Pogacar at this year’s Tour de France, Jonas Vingegaard is heading into the 2025 Vuelta a Espana in what Team Visma | Lease a Bike describe as the best form of his career.

At least, that’s the view of Mathieu Heijboer, the team’s long-time Head of Performance, who believes the Dane’s Tour defeat shouldn’t obscure the sheer quality of his individual performances — particularly on the climbs.

“Jonas delivered his best ever climbing performances in the mountain time trial and on Mont Ventoux,” Heijboer insisted in conversation the Belgian outlet Knack. “Only one rider was better. It was unfortunate that he had a few bad days, because on his best form, he was exceptional.”

Vingegaard’s Tour campaign was compromised by a rough spring, after a high-speed crash in Paris–Nice saw him miss the rest of his early-season schedule, including the Volta a Catalunya. Despite the disrupted build-up, he returned at the Critérium du Dauphiné and went on to contest the Tour at a high level, even if his challenge ultimately fell short.

Visma, though, remain fully convinced that Vingegaard is primed to contend for red in Spain — and that he is better prepared now than he was when he finished second in Madrid last year.

“His second place at the 2023 Vuelta showed that he can handle a second Grand Tour in a single season,” Heijboer said. “That time his preparation was much more difficult due to illness. This year, we’ve intentionally kept his spring light so that he could race both the Tour and the Vuelta at a high level.”

Following his runner-up finish in France, the 28-year-old Dane took a brief break in his native Denmark before heading to Haute-Savoie for altitude training. According to Heijboer, motivation is high — and physical condition is right where it needs to be. “Jonas recovered quickly after the Tour. He’s fresh and very motivated to win a Grand Tour,” he said.

For all the optimism, Heijboer did acknowledge the complexities of peaking twice in one season. “We don’t have one clear reason for the off-days he had at the Tour. A rider isn’t a machine. But the data shows how good he was on his best days.”

Whether Vingegaard can finally add the red jersey to his two Tours de France remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Visma believes he’s never climbed better.