Jonas Vingegaard uncertain for Tour de France title defense - "We have absolutely not decided"

Jonas Vingegaard has taken to the 2022 Tour de France as one of the favourites, and took a very strong win that propelled him to the very top of the cycling world. A title defense in 2023 would be an obvious choice to some, however his participation at the Tour is far from assured.

“We have not yet decided that Jonas will go to the Tour," team DS Merijn Zeeman told Velonews in a recent interview. "He is currently on vacation and when he returns I want to hear what he thinks. Obviously, I think it's pretty obvious that when you win the yellow jersey you want to defend it next year, so he could be taken for granted, but we have absolutely not decided. I want to talk about it first with Jonas and with the other coaches.”

Following Jumbo-Visma's all-out approach to the Tour in 2022, the Dutch team finally managed to win the Tour de France. Early into the off-season already decisions have not yet been made. The Giro d'Italia route was revealed this week and put forward an incredibly hard set of profiles, with 70 kilometers of time-trials and a brutal final week that will fit the likes of some riders.

"I also want to hear what Primoz thinks and I want to talk to all our coaches and staff members. It will take about two months to prepare all this, then in December we will know what we have to do," Zeeman continued, aware than it is not only up to Vingegaard aswell to decide on which course the team will take in the upcoming season.

"Obviously, the alternative is the Corsa Rosa, whose route seems suitable for both captains. Jonas has never raced the Giro, so it's a chance for him if he wants to. He clearly has to be a time trial specialist to win it," Zeeman stated. "Obviously, you have to be a complete rider with all that high ground and those very tough mountain stages, but in the time trials there are minutes to gain."

“Look at the two time trials of the Tour, he too is a time trial specialist, especially when he is in his best form. Pogacar is a specialist, as is Evenepoel of course. I think that Primoz, Jonas, Pogacar, Evenepoel up to the moment the four best time trial specialists in the world and they can all do very well on the path of this Giro,” the manager of the Dutch team hinted.