Visma "not worried about Jonas Vingegaard fading like Tadej Pogacar did" if he makes return from injury at Tour de France
Cycling
The roles have reversed and the dynamic completely switched for the latest chapter of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard's epic Tour de France rivalry. Last year, it was Pogacar who had doubts as he came straight to the Grand Tour from injury. This year, it's Vingegaard who won't be 100 percent.
Whilst in 2023 Pogacar suffered a fractured wrist in a crash at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, for Vingegaard, a horrific crash at the Itzulia Basque Country earlier this year left the two-time, back to back Maillot Jaune winner suffering with a number of injuries, including most worryingly a collapsed lung. Pogacar was able to mount a serious challenge for the Maillot Jaune in 2023 before fading in the third week and eventually losing out to Vingegaard by over seven minutes.
It Team Visma | Lease a Bike are to secure a third successive Tour de France, such a crack must be avoided from Vingegaard on his return from injury. "We try to prepare him as best as we can. I don’t know what the outcome would be, there’s no racing," the Dane's coach, Tim Heemskerk explains to Velo. “Will he be already straight from the gun and improve? Will it be the opposite? I cannot tell at the moment. I can only tell when we do certain training, and when I see what’s happening.”
The coach does not however, believe that Vingegaard would show the same weaknesses as Pogacar did last year. “Jonas’s strength is his durability. So I think when we do what we need to do, then I’m not so worried about fading or whatever, like Pogacar did. Because they have they have different physiology," Heemskerk predicts confidently. “First we take it day by day. But Jonas’s injuries are not a broken finger or broken wrist. It was a lot worse. But they’re also different people too. So we just try to train him as best as possible, and then then then we will see.”
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- I agree, this article is silly. Pogacar won that TdF because he was stronger than Roglic on the time trial not because he was unknown. Each rider has their own strengths and ride to those. Each of the classics and monuments have their own unique features that the riders must strategize.GB25-03-2025
- Yes, I think he still has a lot to say in road cycling. In the CX races he showed a very good gear but... the problem was essentially his NERVOUSNESS then he took bad decisions in finding the best strategies and paths. He needs confidence (calm down) and maybe a very good preparation gave him that.
maria2024202425-03-2025 - I don't believe so sadly, much as pulling another rider into that group I think Tadej and MVDP have raised the game so far they are essentially untouchable. The spoils of this season will be split between them, I believe Tadej will take RVV, LBL and Lombardia, MVDP MSR and Roubaix. I'm not even sure Remco will be at their level when he comes back. Tadej and MVDP are just a step above everyone elseslappers6625-03-2025
- Tadej and MVDP bring that panache back to cycling that we missed right through the Armstrong years, the Sky years and to an extent the couple of Visma tour wins. Whole team blocking a race, no attacking, no excitement till the leaders jumped away inslappers6625-03-2025
- Glad to know he's confident now, even though he didn't win; it's true, he never complains but in past interviews he often expressed his insecurity and bewilderment when he hadn't won the gold on the track or a time trial.maria2024202425-03-2025
- Would be so cool. Might not be possible regularly but a few, even Jungels showed glimpses of his past form after going through mental deserts.Jumpyjohn25-03-2025
- Yeah, might not feel like leaving his family or ending up like Senna or Schumacher. I’d have no problems with that, critics might have a tough time, finding a new target to focus on, maybe Remco? He’d be more tricky.Mistermaumau25-03-2025
- This is cycling, no pills ;-)Mistermaumau25-03-2025
- Many have points, often even good, one has to decide and it’s basically binary, either yes or no each time, like with elections, there’re always unhappy people.Jumpyjohn25-03-2025
- Get an educationJumpyjohn25-03-2025