A high Visma-Lease a Bike sports activities director has insisted that double Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard has to up his recreation or that the possibilities he’ll be capable to beat arch-rival Tadej Pogačar sooner or later will drop considerably.
After back-to-back Tour de France victories in 2020 and 2021, adopted by two by Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023, this July in France Pogačar (UAE Group Emirates) managed to show the tables on the Dane as soon as once more and win his third Tour in 5 editions.
Talking in a private capability, Visma sports activities director Frans Maassen has informed Danish newspaper BT that Pogačar is now working on a degree that Vingegaard must work very arduous to realize.
Maassen additionally performed down the concept that Vingegaard may add a Giro d’Italia debut to his program in 2025, saying he didn’t perceive the place the hearsay that the Dane may accomplish that had emerged and that “Proper now, I do not see that concept as sensible.”
Vingegaard was badly injured in April and was on the comeback path for a lot of weeks previous to the Tour de France. Maassen insisted that the Danish star had gained significantly in psychological resilience over the course of time and that “Now his engine is underneath management once more after the crash and Jonas himself is a man who is tough to beat.”
“I believe he has turn into a special rider after this yr. Now he has ‘survived’ every thing and subsequent yr he’ll compete with the world’s finest riders once more.”
Vingegaard’s 2024 season is already over, together with his final race the general victory within the Tour de Pologne in August. Nevertheless, Maassen recognised that defeating Pogačar in 2025 within the Tour de France can be something however simple for the Dane and that “he has to discover a approach to get higher.”
“Jonas is one thing particular. We must see how his preparation goes and the way robust he’s. I hope he can beat Pogačar, however it’s arduous to say.”
Unsurprisingly, Maassen stated it might be all however inconceivable that Vingegaard wouldn’t do the Tour de France in 2025. However ought to or not it’s confirmed that Vingegaard would proceed to skip the Giro subsequent season as effectively, that will arguably render the Visma rider’s must take the battle to Pogačar on extra equal phrases much more urgent.
“Jonas doesn’t like the thought of getting to return to the Tour and end second,” Maassen informed BT. “He desires to be the most effective and has to work very arduous to get higher, and it will likely be a problem as a result of if he stays on the similar degree, he in all probability will not be capable to beat Tadej Pogačar anymore.”
