Jonas Vingegaard knows what he has to do to beat Tadej Pogacar again: "I have to step up my game if I want to win"

The Tour de France is the biggest goal in the minds of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, the two strongest climbers in the peloton. In 2022 and 2023 the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider took the win over the Slovenian but this time around he was convincingly defeated in the mountains. He has discussed his season, crash, Tour and upcoming preparation soon.

"I started thinking after that crash. It's pretty normal for me to think about what the consequences of this crash might have entailed and whether it's all still worth it to be a pro rider. But I'm still cycling, so you know my answer," Vingegaard said in words to NOS. At Itzulia Basque Country he suffered a fractured collarbone, ribs and a punctured lung which put his Tour at risk.

"Cycling is not everything in life. I already knew that, of course, but when you've experienced a crash like that and know it could be over with your career, you start thinking about it even more. In those days, I only left my bed once. During that time, I lost a lot of muscle mass. It took a long time before I was able to train normally again, as I was still in a lot of pain."  

Eventually, without racing beforehand, Vingegaard did start the Tour and in great form. He did a pretty spotless race but in the high mountains he was no match for the UAE Team Emirates rider who showed his very best climbing legs. He could've possibly defeated him but it would've required a perfect spring and preparation for the Tour.

"Before I could train normally again, it was mid-May. I was at a high level in the Tour, but I know now that you must be 100 percent to compete for victory. It was a miracle that I was at the start, but even more, I finished second".

The Dane has now started to prepare for the 2025 season early, after finishing his season early too to be present for the birth of his second child, but is sharply focused on the upcoming year: "I have already shown I can defeat him, but I also saw how he rode this year, and that clearly showed I have to step up my game if I want to win".