"We are going for it 100%" - Visma & Vingegaard ready themselves for massive day in the mountains at 2025 Tour de France

For any dreams Jonas Vingegaard has left of winning the 2025 Tour de France, today's stage 18 is likely to be do or die. With more than four minutes to make up on Tadej Pogacar, Team Visma | Lease a Bike are readying themselves for one of the most important days in their career.

"It's going to be a special ride. It's going to be one of the toughest stages I've ever ridden. Or will ride," says Tiesj Benoot with a wry smile in conversation with Sporza at the start line. As for whether or not Visma can do the unthinkable and turn the GC around on the Queen Stage? "I hope so! We'll see."

One thing for sure, is that Team Visma | Lease a Bike come to the start of stgae 18 with a plan of attack in mind. "Today it will mainly be the legs that do the talking. It's difficult enough to make a difference, but again: it depends on the legs," Benoot explains. "We start with a strict plan and we try to implement it. If you want to make up four minutes, it will be difficult with just one climb. You have to go from far away and we are going for it 100 percent."

And although theories are abounding that the likes of Benoot and Wout van Aert could be sent up the road as satellite riders in the hope of playing a similar role as Van Aert did for Simon Yates on the decisive day of the Giro d'Italia earlier this year, Benoot admits that may not be down to Visma themselves. "A breakaway probably won't be able to gain too much time, because first you have the intermediate sprint, and then we'll quickly reach the Glandon," he concludes. "It will be difficult for rouleurs to break away."