"The strategy will be more Vingegaard-friendly” - Absence of Grischa Niermann a massive positive for Visma's Vuelta hopes says Brian Holm

Jonas Vingegaard is widely expected to return to the Vuelta a Espana for the third time in his career later this year. After coming closer than anyone to Tadej Pogacar at the 2025 Tour de France, expectations are high that the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader will be able to end his season with a Grand Tour win.

Having cemented his place as the best Grand Tour rider not named Pogacar, Vingegaard is expected to thrive in Spain with his great rival absent. In the Slovenian's place, UAE Team Emirates - XRG are set to go with a two-pronged Red Jersey attack in the form of Spanish talent Juan Ayuso and Pogacar's right-hand man João Almeida. Strong opponents definitely, but in the opinion of Danish ex-pro turned expert Brian Holm, no match for his compatriot over three weeks. “That’s fair to say. There’s Joao Almeida and Juan Ayuso. Of course, it will be tricky if Vingegaard ends up sandwiched between the two,” the 62-year-old Holm told Ekstra Bladet ahead of the upcoming Vuelta a Espana.

Despite coming up short at the Tour de France, Holm also believes Vingegaard can take a lot of positives from the way he performed. “There was a decent gap from Pogacar to Vingegaard," Holm admits. "But an even bigger one from Vingegaard to Florian Lipowitz and the rest. So Vingegaard has to start as the outright favourite.”

Holm also sees the absence of Team Visma | Lease a Bike's Grischa Niermann in the team car at the Vuelta as a big boost for Vingegaard's hopes. "Now it’ll be Jesper Morkov — a Danish sports director in the car," Holm concludes. "I reckon the strategy will be more Vingegaard-friendly than it was at the Tour. For those backing Vingegaard, it’s likely to be a more Danish-aligned approach.”