Jonas Vingegaard has not skilled loss on the Tour de France earlier than. He has not received each time he has been on the race – he completed second in 2021 – however that was sudden, that was the Visma-Lease a Bike asserting himself. He received in 2022, and in 2023, however now he got here up quick. As Tadej Pogačar celebrated, he seemed downcast.
And who may blame the Dane? He had his season’s one essential aim all however kicked out from beneath him in probably the most violent manner due to a crash – however he needed to face it down anyway – it at all times going to harm.
Seems although, we needn’t have apprehensive an excessive amount of.
Showing on French tv lower than 10 minutes later, Vingegaard was carrying the relaxed smile of somebody who had simply realised he hadn’t run out of tea luggage in any case.
A short time later, the Tour’s podium press convention confirmed his mellow good humour, declaring that this second place may very well be his largest consequence but.
“It’s very good for me to be again at a really, very excessive degree,” he mentioned. “After every thing that occurred with the crash… to have the ability to get again like this, second is a really large consequence.
“I feel, with every thing in thoughts, it is likely to be even a much bigger consequence than profitable the Tour when every thing went good.”
He even managed a contact of black humour when requested about what he may do to return even higher to beat Pogačar subsequent time spherical. There was a giant step to be made in his preparation, he mentioned, including that mentioned ‘large step’ was to not break each bone in the correct facet of his higher physique and puncture each lungs.
The 26-year-old reminded journalists that he had spent eight days bed-bound in intensive care after his crash at Itzulia Basque Nation in April, and 12 days’ complete in hospital. It is a marvel he made it to the Tour in any respect and spoke volumes in regards to the truth he was so at peace with second place.
All the identical, Vingegaard mentioned he had put out some “fairly unimaginable” energy figures in the course of the race and after profitable stage 11 to Le Lorian he mentioned he thought he may go on to win.
“I used to be believing I may actually win this Tour from there on,” he mentioned. “Additionally earlier than, as a result of I knew I had a excessive degree. I did the very best ever efficiency on Plateau de Beille [stage 15]. It was a 40-minute climb, and taking a look at my energy numbers it was fairly unimaginable.”
He held on to the idea for a very long time, he mentioned, however lastly a nasty day at Isola 2000 left him “hanging on for pricey life”, and conceding defeat on the finish of the stage.
He gave credit score to Pogačar, admitting: “Tadej was stronger, so he deserves to win. It’s actually spectacular how he rode this Tour de France.”
There could be no Vuelta a España for him this yr, he mentioned. As an alternative, relaxation. After which he would take into consideration what got here subsequent.
