‘Jonas did all the work’ - Visma points to Lidl-Trek as Ayuso explains why he could not help
Visma | Lease a Bike sports director Marc Reef highlighted the lack of cooperation after Jonas Vingegaard spent close to ten kilometres leading the chase of Tadej Pogačar. Juan Ayuso later insisted there had been no tactical refusal from Lidl-Trek, saying he was already suffering to hold Vingegaard’s wheel.
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Pogačar had attacked inside the final kilometre of the Col de Pertus, a steep 4.4 kilometre climb averaging around 8.5 per cent. None of his main rivals could follow the acceleration. Behind him, the leading podium contenders began the chase.
Marc Reef later pointed to the amount of work Vingegaard had done during the chase. The Dane had spent close to ten kilometres on the front, while the riders behind him were able to conserve energy before sprinting away near the finish.
“They were all sitting in the wheel for around ten kilometres,” Reef told Feltet. “Jonas did all the work, so it is normal that they were still able to sprint away from him at the finish.”
Asked about the presence of two Lidl-Trek riders in the group, Reef said the team was entitled to make its own tactical choice. He added that Vingegaard’s priority had been to limit the gap to Pogacar and keep the race as close as possible.
“That is their decision,” he said. “We are here to try to win the race. We wanted to keep the gap as small as possible and that is what Jonas tried to do. I am very proud of the spirit he showed.”
Ayuso’s explanation painted a very different picture. According to the Spaniard, there was no calculated refusal to cooperate. He was simply unable to contribute without immediately losing contact.
The Spaniard said in the flash interview that he was producing around 450 to 460 watts just to remain on Vingegaard’s wheel. At that intensity, taking a turn at the front was not a realistic option.
“I would have liked to help him, but his pace was too high for me,” Ayuso explained. “I was already doing everything I could just to stay with him.”
The battle for the podium
Ayuso eventually emerged from the stage in a stronger position.
He reclaimed the white jersey from Isaac del Toro and climbed a spot to fourth overall. Skjelmose also survived the selection, giving Lidl-Trek two riders inside the group that gained time on a number of direct rivals.
For Ayuso, that was the most important outcome of the day.
The Spaniard believes there are five or six riders with a realistic chance of finishing second or third in Paris. With the margins still small, every effort and every tactical decision could have a major influence on the final classification.
“Pogačar is riding a different race,” Ayuso said. “Behind him, everyone is still very close.”
That reality also explains why Lidl-Trek had little incentive to spend energy helping Vingegaard. With both leaders still in contention, the German team was also protecting its own position in the fight for the podium.
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