"This is a start-up race" - No pressure for Jonas Vingegaard at Gran Camino

After a long winter of training followed by an altitude camp at Mount Teide, today Jonas Vingegaard starts his season at Gran Camino. Eyeing some stage-races throughout the spring, he talks of having no pressure ahead of the Spanish event.

“I expect a tough and cold race. Snow fell here a few minutes ago. I hope for a tough race and then we will see," Vingegaard said ahead of the race. "It would be nice if I could show myself here, but don't get stressed if it doesn't work out. Because I know what I can do when I'm good. We will see. I do know that the form is good.”

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The four-day stage-race will feature a hilltop finish, a real mountain stage and a final time-trial. It's an explosive start to the season in which there will be roads for the Tour de France champion to test his form. Competition won't be excessively high, but the likes of Ruben Guerreiro and Jesús Herrada who have recently shown good form will spearhead rival teams.

Jumbo-Visma come with a strong lineup, but Vingegaard won't have an uncontested lead. “I do indeed want to get some race rhythm here for Paris-Nice. Of course I want to perform well, but this is a start-up race," he concludes. Paris-Nice and Itzulia Basque Country are in his schedule, before he begins specific preparation for the Tour de France later in the summer.