"Racing 21 more days which means 21 more opportunities that you could have a crash" - Jonas Vingegaard warned against Giro d'Italia debut in 2025

The 2025 Tour de France is already looking like one of the most hotly anticipated in a long while, as Jonas Vingegaard looks to reclaim the Maillot Jaune lost to arch-rival Tadej Pogacar earlier this year. Against an all-conquering Pogacar though, can Vingegaard raise his level enough ready for next summer?

"I do believe that he can," American ex-pro and former 4th on GC at the Tour de France, Christian Vande Velde predicts on the latest episode of NBC Sports Cycling's Beyond the Podium podcast. "This is an open bike race and I believe there are so many other factors that go into this. That's why we have a race, anything can happen. You could have sickness, you could come to the line not as fresh as you should be and like has been referenced before, he (Pogacar ed.) crashed in Liege (before 2023 Tour de France ed.). So first and foremost, you have to get to the start line as fit as you possibly can."

The last four editions of the Tour de France have been dominated by the Vingegaard-Pogacar rivalry. In 2021 and 2024 the Slovenian led home the Dane, but in 2022 and 2023, Vingegaard proved he can push Pogacar further than anyone else in the pro peloton. "There is every chance in the world that Jonas can win a 3rd Tour de France. No doubt about that," Vande Velde says firmly. "Tadej Pogacar has the momentum though and in modern sports these days, when you have lost the momentum it's really hard to get that back, but they (Visma ed.) have to get that back in someway shape or form."

One of the ways Vingegaard could reportedly look to build up momentum is by embarking on a Giro d'Italia debut in 2025 and attempt to replicate Pogacar's Giro-Tour double from this year. According to Vande Velde though, this might not be the wisest of tactics from Vingegaard and Team Visma | Lease a Bike.

"Is he going to do the Giro d'Italia? That's a big risk!" the American ponders. "You're racing 21 more days which means 21 more opportunities that you could have a crash that is completely out of your control. Somebody else crashes, it's wet, you have a flat tyre, whatever!" Vande Velde warns.