“Vingegaard is now at a level that matches Pogacar... You have to be careful saying that” - Rolf Sorensen raises Tour de France stakes after dominant Giro d’Italia

Rolf Sorensen, a former Tour de France stage winner and one of Denmark’s leading cycling analysts, believes Jonas Vingegaard’s dominant Giro d’Italia has changed the tone of the Tour de France build-up, claiming the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader is now operating at a level that can once again match Tadej Pogacar.

Vingegaard is set to leave Rome with the maglia rosa, five stage wins and a Grand Tour Triple Crown after controlling the Giro across three weeks. His final mountain display on Piancavallo added another emphatic image, as he attacked with around 11 kilometres remaining, dropped Felix Gall and rode solo to another stage victory.

Pogacar remains the reference point in modern cycling after winning the last two editions of the Tour de France and dominating much of the past two seasons. Sorensen still sees a much tighter fight coming in July.

“Pogacar has been outstandingly the best in the world over the past couple of years, but I think Vingegaard is now at a level that matches Pogacar,” Sorensen said on TV 2 Sport. “And you have to be careful saying that, but I think he is. This really bodes well for the Tour de France.”

Vingegaard’s Giro has become far more than a controlled first step towards the Tour. He won repeatedly, extended his advantage whenever the race hit the hardest climbs and finished the final mountain stage with another solo statement.

His overall lead over Gall stands at 5:22 with only the final stage in Rome remaining. Jai Hindley, Thymen Arensman and Derek Gee-West were left fighting over the remaining places behind, while Vingegaard used the race to build form and collect victories rather than simply defend pink.

Whilst Vingegaard has not faced Pogacar directly at this Giro, the level he's shown in Italy has put the rivalry back at the centre of the Tour conversation before the race reaches Barcelona on 4 July.

The 2026 Tour de France now carries a different feel than it did before the Giro. Pogacar will still arrive as the dominant force in the sport, with his recent Grand Tour and one-day record keeping him at the top of the hierarchy.

Vingegaard’s Giro has given Visma | Lease a Bike a major counterweight. Five stage wins, repeated mountain superiority and near-total control of the GC battle have left the Dane looking far closer to the rider who twice beat Pogacar at the Tour.

The route, the teams and the direct head-to-head will decide the rest. Sorensen’s assessment raises the stakes before that battle begins. For the first time in a while, the question around July does not feel like whether Vingegaard can get back into the fight. After three weeks in Italy, Sorensen believes he already has.