Jonas Vingegaard: "A fit Van Aert would be better for the team and me in the Tour de France"

Jonas Vingegaard hopes first and foremost for his teammate Wout van Aert's recovery after a terrifying crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen. However, the timing of the Belgian's injuries open up the possibility that he may ride the Tour de France, and the defending champion would be happy to have van Aert once again there.

"A lot of things aren't worth it. It is a dangerous sport and you travel a lot. As a result, you are often far away from your family and the people you love most. Of course I love this sport and I have chosen it, but I will always advise my children not to choose this profession," Vingegaard said in an honest interview with De Telegraaf. "We are together at different times, but during the races we keep in touch via FaceTime. It is special to experience how Frida grows and develops. She speaks in a mix of Danish and English, which is nice to see. I am very proud of her and also of my wife Trine, who is responsible for a large part of her upbringing."

Vingegaard himself has had the luck to not have suffered big injuries over recent years, but such bad luck has affected Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders. Van Aert being the most recent example, he has been forced to miss out on the cobbled monuments; the Giro d'Italia is currently at doubt.  "The first thing is to hope for Wout that he recovers well," Vnigegaard said when asked about his teammate.

"He shows every time that he is a super strong force. In any case, a fit Van Aert would be better for the team and me in the Tour de France," he admits. But Vingegaard is aware that van Aert's ambitions lay elsewhere this season and is prepared for his absence even if van Aert is to miss his initial goal of the Giro. "However, I also understand that after five participations in a row, he now opted for the Giro in advance. A lot is uncertain now, but his health comes first."