“Tadej isn't here so I was pretty confident” – Visma teammates react to Vingegaard’s Vuelta stage 2 win

Jonas Vingegaard once again demonstrated why he is considered the leading favourite for the red jersey, claiming victory on stage two of the Vuelta a España in dramatic fashion. After a crash earlier in the day that brought down much of Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the Danish rider still had the power to surge past Giulio Ciccone of Lidl-Trek in the final meters. The win gave him the general classification lead, confirming his status as the favourite for the overall win.

Speaking to Eurosport, Matteo Jorgenson highlighted the belief that carried his teammate across the line. “Jonas’ victory is impressive,” Jorgenson said. “I was too far behind, but he really believed in himself, and he was very explosive. Even though he's not a sprinter type, he thought he could win. It was really cool to see him do it this way.”

Despite the earlier crash, there were no lingering doubts about Vingegaard’s condition. Grischa Niermann recalled, “I asked him if he was okay, and he immediately said he was fine. So even in that moment, we knew there were no problems. He was visibly okay in the end.” But he admitted the incident was nerve-racking: “Of course, your heart skips a beat when six out of eight are lying on the ground. It wasn't pretty, but it's part of the game. Fortunately, everyone finished.”

Vingegaard last raced at the Vuelta in 2023, when he won 2 stages and finished second behind Sepp Kuss, with Primoz Roglic ensuring Visma had a clean sweep of the podium. This year, Vingegaard should have the freedom to ride entirely for the win, as he tries t pick up his first grand tour victory since over two years ago, at the 2023 Tour de France.

For Niermann, the significance of the win extends beyond the result on paper. “There's only one thing that matters: that red jersey in the Vuelta. Jonas is in good shape, but there are still 19 stages to go. He feels good, and we knew this wasn't the day to win the Vuelta, but maybe a stage. We did that and that's great.”

He also emphasised the team’s approach to pacing Vingegaard through the coming weeks: “He's eager, of course, because he hadn't won a road stage this year. This final was quite difficult. It was bing-bing-bang, with an uphill sprint. We don't need to hold him back yet, but for ourselves, we have to keep in mind where the Vuelta can be won. That wasn't today, and it won't be tomorrow, but a stage win and the red jersey now is already very nice. We know that Jonas should basically be the best climber in this Vuelta, but that doesn't say anything about the rest.”

Victor Campenaerts, speaking to IDLProCycling.com, echoed the confidence many had in Vingegaard’s abilities, especially with a certain Slovenian absent from the lineup in Spain. “When Tadej Pogacar made his incredible, explosive move in the first week of the Tour de France, Jonas was always there, way ahead of all the other competitors. Tadej isn't here, so I was pretty confident. That crash wasn't ideal, of course, but it all worked out in the end.”

It isn’t all positive for the team, however. Following the victory the team endured a difficult night, after Visma confirmed their truck had been broken into and several bikes stolen. Yet, in spite of that off-the-bike setback, Vingegaard’s victory ensures that both he and his team hold the spotlight for sporting reasons as they move deeper into the race, and they are certainly the team to beat over the next 3 weeks.