‘I didn’t have to kill myself’ - Vingegaard dismisses Giro fatigue fears before Pogacar Tour battle
Jonas Vingegaard has dismissed concerns that his Giro d’Italia victory could leave him short of energy at the Tour de France, insisting he arrives in Barcelona stronger, happier and ready to challenge Tadej Pogačar again.
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The Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader is aiming to become only the ninth rider to win the Giro and Tour in the same season.
His victory in Italy had already secured his place in cycling history, making him only the eighth man to win all three Grand Tours. He joined Jacques Anquetil, Felice Gimondi, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali and Chris Froome, who announced his retirement on Thursday.
Vingegaard, however, believes the way he won in Italy allowed him to recover quickly enough to complete a proper build up for the Tour.
“Without taking anything away from anyone at the Giro, it is true that I did not have to completely kill myself,” Vingegaard told reporters before the race. “I did not come out of the Giro completely on my knees.”
Vingegaard said he was able to restart serious training after roughly a week before completing a final altitude camp with Visma in Tignes.
“If you are on your knees after the Giro, you need two weeks, maybe even more, to recover,” he said. “Then it is hard to start building towards the Tour because the Tour is already coming.
“For me, I came out of the Giro in a good way and pretty quickly I could start building towards the Tour de France.”
Giro victory reduces pressure, but not Vingegaard’s ambition
Victory in Italy completed Vingegaard’s collection of Grand Tour titles after his two Tour victories and his 2025 Vuelta a España triumph. It also means that he does not arrive at the Tour needing to rescue his season.
“On one hand, of course, I have had a very good season so far,” he said. “It takes some pressure off me and off the team.
“But the Tour de France is still the biggest race. It is still the race you really want to win. I am extremely happy, especially winning the Giro d’Italia and now having won all three Grand Tours. But I am here to go for the victory.”
The change in schedule was partly motivated by a desire to freshen up a preparation routine that had become repetitive. After following a similar path towards the Tour for several seasons, Vingegaard felt he needed a new challenge.
“I did not really fancy doing what I had done for the last five years,” he said. “It did not motivate me so much to do the same thing over and over again. I personally needed a change.”
Although his training methods have not changed dramatically, Vingegaard believes the different race programme has improved his mental state.
“I have enjoyed riding a bit more this year than I did last year,” he said. “Both physically and mentally, I am in a very good place.”
Pogacar remains the benchmark for Visma
Standing between Vingegaard and another Tour victory is the familiar figure of Pogačar. Their rivalry has shaped the race in recent years, with both riders experiencing moments of dominance over the other in the mountains.
Vingegaard described the Slovenian as “probably the best rider who has ever been in a bunch”, but said his previous success against Pogačar gives him confidence that another victory is possible.
“To have been able to drop him is something really incredible for me,” he said. “It is something that I am extremely proud of.
“It gives me motivation to try to do it again and to try to do it this year. It also gives me the confidence that I am one of the guys who can actually challenge him.”
Visma’s task has been complicated by the absence of Wout van Aert, who had been expected to play an important role during the opening team time trial in Barcelona and throughout the wider battle for control of the race.
Vingegaard called Van Aert’s absence “a big blow”, but believes Visma still has a squad capable of supporting him across every type of terrain.
The team time trial represents an immediate test. With valuable seconds available on the opening day, Visma has spent considerable time preparing for the discipline and has selected several powerful riders for the flatter course.
“It is a day where you can either lose time or win time,” Vingegaard said. “We have a very well balanced team for the team time trial, the flat stages and the mountain stages.”
For Vingegaard, the opening test marks the start of another chance to add to an already historic season. The Giro secured his place among cycling’s greats, but victory in Paris would turn an exceptional season into one for the ages.
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