“We can look back on this first block positively” – Visma keep faith in Jonas Vingegaard despite 2:42 Tour de France deficit to Tadej Pogacar
CyclingSunday, 12 July 2026 at 20:00
Team Visma | Lease a Bike have refused to view the opening nine stages of the 2026 Tour de France through the damage inflicted by Tadej Pogacar alone, insisting Jonas Vingegaard reached the first rest day looking fresh and with the team still confident in its position.
Vingegaard sits second overall at 2:42 after losing significant time to Pogacar on the Col du Tourmalet, but safely negotiated the scorching and relentlessly raced Stage 9 to Ussel alongside several teammates.
“Although we have had a tough first week with the weather conditions, we can look back on this first block positively,” Visma sports director Marc Reef said in the team’s post-stage 9 press release. “After the rest day, we will continue with confidence.”
Visma protect Vingegaard through chaotic Stage 9
The ninth stage was shortened from 185.5 to 155.5 kilometres after Correze was placed under a red heatwave alert. Temperatures reached approximately 37°C, while repeated attacks contributed to an opening phase raced at around 45km/h.
Matteo Jorgenson attempted several times to enter the breakaway but was unable to gain freedom. A 16-rider group eventually escaped before further attacks produced the decisive eight-man move containing Mathieu van der Poel, Tom Pidcock, Tobias Halland Johannessen and Alex Baudin.
UAE Team Emirates – XRG controlled the gap for much of the afternoon, reducing the peloton to fewer than 40 riders across approximately 2,800 metres of climbing. Vingegaard remained alongside Davide Piganzoli and Sepp Kuss as Visma concentrated on bringing its leader through the final stage before the rest day.
“Jonas came through today’s stage well,” Reef said. “Despite the tough race and the hot conditions, he still looked quite fresh. The same applied to the other riders. The pace was high from start to finish. UAE Team Emirates kept control for a long time after the breakaway had gone clear. We were always there with Jonas, who was well protected by his teammates.”
Van der Poel ultimately won from the breakaway, while Vingegaard crossed safely in the reduced peloton without conceding further time to Pogacar.
Jonas Vingegaard ahead of Stage 9 at the 2026 Tour de France
Visma face commanding Pogacar advantage
The opening block has nevertheless left Visma with a sizeable deficit to overturn. Pogacar enters the rest day in the Maillot Jaune with Vingegaard 2:42 behind, while UAE teammate Isaac del Toro sits third at 3:27.
Vingegaard remains the closest challenger after nine stages, with Remco Evenepoel fourth at 3:30 and Juan Ayuso fifth at 3:34. His position ensures the Tour remains centred upon another direct contest with Pogacar, although the scale of the gap has already shifted the pressure onto Visma.
Visma therefore reached the rest day with Vingegaard securely established as Pogacar’s nearest rival and key climbing support still positioned around him, but with almost three minutes separating their leader from the yellow jersey.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- Pity Traen crashed out, could have been this years’ surpriseJumpyjohn12-07-2026
- Can’t really tell your boss or sponsor you’re sraying home if they need you at work or pay you for it though, or is this how you function? It’s always been obvious he’d prefer not to have to go anymore, at least ever since he got his first stage to dedicate to his granpa.Jumpyjohn12-07-2026
- I think he went for it because it was an interesting stage for him to go for and because he felt in shape, no other reason. Or do you imagine he’d have held back if Jasper had won any or even ALL the sprints?Jumpyjohn12-07-2026
- Tadej Pogačar is facing another wave of doping allegations on social media and from skeptics following his historically dominant performances at the Tour de France. I want Vingegaard to be put through a scanner and analyzed in detail because it is impossible that in the 2nd toughest race in the world in May in the toughest sport, he made all 180+ cyclists look like amateurs with 80% strength. I want him to be examined in detail. He must be doping, just like Pogi. I want Merlier to be tested for gene doping and everything possible, because he must be cheating. Belgians, speak up!!! It is not possible that he is 5 times better than everyone else in the sprints, and he makes them look like amateurs. He must be doping, just like Pogi. I just want to hear Belgians on this topic.mus-musculuspeedypogigonzales12-07-2026
- I wasn't around during Merxck's peak. Was he openly questioned and surrounded by doping-related questions all the time too?Ride197412-07-2026
- Seems like Jasper is off this year, can't deliver more than a top 10. That's probably why MVDP went for it today. He gave Jasper two good chances, but nothing.Ride197412-07-2026
- Like in horse racing?Ride197412-07-2026
- You can see the problem with the opening stages being GC focused. There are only 9 riders in the race who are fighting for GC. The tenth spot will not be filled by a GC rider, and it will simply be the breakaway climber who loses the least time. Compare that with last year, where there was an interesting battle to stay in the top 10, between Ben Healy, Ben O'connor and Jordan Jegat, with O'connor having to settle for 11th. In 2024 it was even better, as Matteo Jorgenson, Derek Gee-West, Santiago Buitraigo and Giulio Ciccone battling it out. Having the GC open from the start means that only riders who came aiming for it end up doing it. You don't get riders who end up up there almost accidentally.
Rafionain-Glas12-07-2026 - I do find it quite hilarious how Horner's "analysis" is disproven so oftenRafionain-Glas12-07-2026
- seems like he finally found enjoyment ...Ketterechts12-07-2026
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