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Jonas Vingegaard support "could have made a big difference for Wout van Aert" - Erik Zabel
CyclingTuesday, 04 July 2023 at 12:49
Erik Zabel has joined the long list of analysts who believe the support of Jonas Vingegaard would've made a big difference for Wout van Aert on the second stage of the Tour de France, however he also tells of his experience in previous years and how his team made decisions on such subjects.
“At Telekom, of course, we did that too (chase yellow jersey and green jerseysimultaneously, ed.). Some days it went perfectly, other days it didn't. Twice – in 1996 and 1997 – we won yellow and green. But it is always a difficult compromise," Erik Zabel told Het Nieuwsblad, although the Belgian won't be looking for green, but instead stage wins in this edition. "I don't think Jonas Vingegaard would have jeopardized his chances in the general classification by doing a five hundred meter head turn. It could have made a big difference for Wout van Aert.”
He recalls stage 2, in which Jumbo-Visma just barely missed on the catch of Victor Lafay in the final kilometer, a second place for Wout van Aert which left him quite frustrated. The team have since shrugged off internal tensions between the two, however it is clear that van Aert continues his pursuit of a stage win before dedicating himself to support the Dane in his attempt to take a second Tour de France title.
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"He has told me often enough: 'If we are about to lose yellow, everyone has to suffer to save it. Also the green jersey'," Zabel said of his former team manager Walter Godefroot. "In practice, that was usually not too bad: I think in all those years I had to close a gap three or four times depending on the ranking. But most of the time I was already too far behind to be really valuable. Wout van Aert can do much more for Vingegaard in the mountains.”
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