“Jonas produced his best ever climbing performance on Mont Ventoux” – Visma say Vingegaard heads to Vuelta in peak form despite Pogacar Tour defeat
Cycling
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.
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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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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