"No guarantee that Tadej Pogacar will be as strong this year" - Matteo Jorgenson sees opportunity for Jonas Vingegaard at 2025 Tour de France

Despite Tadej Pogacar's brilliance in 2024, within Team Visma | Lease a Bike there remains, somewhat unsurprisingly, a staunch belief that Jonas Vingegaard can get himself back into the Maillot Jaune at the 2025 Tour de France. Matteo Jorgenson is one Visma rider, who sees opportunity for his team leader.

Despite chapter 5 of the epic Pogacar - Vingegaard Tour de France rivalry pencilled in for later this summer though, Jorgenson insists Visma have more to worry about than just the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader. "He is of course not our only competitor," the American explains in conversation with Sporza. "But when Pogacar is at the start, a large part of our tactics are focused on him."

Jorgenson is also doubtful that Pogacar will be able to replicate the history-making and record-breaking kind of form the Slovenian showed in 2024, winning a pair of Grand Tours, 12 stages, 2 Monuments and a World Championship title among other successes. "It is no guarantee that Pogacar will be as strong this year as in 2024. Last year everything fell into place for him," he analyses. "I'm not saying that won't happen again. But I know how cycling works: a lot of puzzle pieces have to fall into place to reach your desired level."

As has been the case with a lot of Team Visma | Lease a Bike personnel this off-season though, they are keen to stress that regardless of Pogacar's level, they themselves will be much improved come the 2025 Tour de France. "All teammates I've spoken to have made progress this winter," Jorgenson concludes his assessment firmly. "Last year we were unlucky that Sepp Kuss dropped out of the Tour with a corona infection. Now Sepp will be there, together with (new signing) Simon Yates. That makes our climbing train much stronger than in the previous Tour."