05/01/2023

Vingegaard on Tour de France title defense: "Everything falls on my shoulders, but I can handle that"

In a recent interview Jonas Vingegaard has talked about his emotions towards the media chaos that surged after his Tour de France win, but has turned that page and will be looking to recreate his win in 2023.

“I'm looking forward to going back with the number one jersey. I will be the sole leader. That creates, just like the fact that I am the defending champion, more and at the same time less pressure. I won the Tour," the Jumbo-Visma rider told Het Laatste Niewus.

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After riding to second place in 2021, he managed to overturn the dominance of Tadej Pogacar by attacking on the 11th stage of Col du Granon, and then sustaining his gap in front alongside a very strong performance from the Dutch team that went all-out in their goal of taking the win at the end of the three weeks.

“Sometimes I wake up and have to convince myself it wasn't a dream, but I know how to do it now," Vingegaard admits. "If I never win again, I can always say that I succeeded once. On the other hand, everything falls on my shoulders, but I can handle that. No problem. It even feels comfortable to be the defending champion.”

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As Primoz Roglic and some of the other team's climbers head to the Giro d'Italia, it will be a far different race. Wout van Aert will join him likely with the goal of getting green as was the case in 2022. Vingegaard will not have the same support as this year in the French climbs, but he's hoping that will make little to no difference.

The Grand Tours will remain his big goal aswell. A strong climber, he's now been able to display the same legs in the one-day races, mainly as there is a big lack of high mountains in them. “For now I just can't manage to perform in one-day races. I don't quite know why that is. I still need to get the hang of it," he says.

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Vingegaard had already chosen to start his season in Spain at Gran Camiño, however he's revealed more details on his opening part of the season. "Next year I am aiming for an overall victory in a stage race. I’ll ride Gran Camiño, Paris-Nice and the Tour of the Basque Country. Those are concrete goals towards the Tour. Above all, I also want to start the Tour fresh. Maybe even more than this year," Vingegaard concluded.