The aftermath of the Tour de France for Jonas Vingegaard was glorious, and also marked by his long break from competition. The Dane had beaten Tadej Pogacar after the three weeks of racing, and his absence from the post-Tour crits and racing for a couple of months saw many wonder the reasons why.
In an interview with Cyclingnews, Vingegaard said regarding his post-Tour experience: “It was definitely huge, bigger than I expected too. Everything was just so crazy for a period. I still struggle to understand that all those people gathered there just to celebrate my success. That says a lot about the mentality of the Danes, they are such big sports fans. When you're at the races, you don’t realize what you represent for your country."
After being received by thousands in Copenhagen, he has travelled back home where he spent time with friends and family. “A lot has changed in my life but fortunately I haven’t changed, at least I hope so. I’m still the same person I was before I won the Tour de France," he assures.
"The reports were exaggerated. There was no explosion, no mind bomb. I just needed a break, that’s all. There were no problems, I just rested up and enjoyed some quality time with family and friends. I enjoyed a barbecue, a glass of wine or a beer. I don’t need much to be happy, even if I’ve won the Tour de France," Vingegaard explained.
Eventually, with eyes on Il Lombardia, he's returned to training in Spain in September and to competition at the Cro Race where he's faced modest competition but took two stage wins. He raced to 16th place in the Italian monument, a modest result to finish the season, one that could be ruined by nothing however.
“I could have raced but I had a feeling that I needed a break. I only took one race, the Bretagne Classic in France, out of my original race programme," he added, denying that it was his initial plan to ride the Tour of Denmark, where his absence saw several rumours emerge over his "complete absence".
"Of course, I accept that you have to eventually think about the racing too and that’s why I went training in Spain in September and then rode the Cro Race. I think I ended the season pretty well and feel good about 2023," Vingegaard concluded.
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