Jonas Vingegaard fears riders may need a bodyguard after fan incident

The incident happened earlier this year during a training ride in Málaga, when an amateur cyclist reportedly followed Vingegaard closely and later shared the story on the training platform Strava.

The crash, combined with illness shortly afterwards, forced Vingegaard to delay his planned season opener at the UAE Tour. Instead, the Dane will begin his 2026 campaign this week at Paris-Nice, the French stage race running from 8 to 15 March.

Speaking about the moment for the first time, the Visma Lease a Bike rider confirmed that the description of events circulating online was largely accurate.

“I think the guy who posted it actually explained it quite well. That was exactly what happened. He followed me, and then I just went too fast into a corner. That was something I shouldn’t have done,” Vingegaard explained to TV2. “So I crashed, but it wasn’t actually that bad.”

Although the fall itself caused little damage, the episode underlined a situation Vingegaard finds increasingly uncomfortable. The two time Tour de France winner said the experience highlights a growing problem for professional riders who train on public roads.

“For me it feels a bit crossing the line that people follow me like that,” he said. “Maybe he knows who I am, but we don’t know each other. The fact that he sits on my wheel feels a bit uncomfortable.”

The Dane emphasized that he has no problem with fans approaching him respectfully. “I don’t mind at all if people ride up and ask for a picture. That’s completely fine,” he said. “But following me is something different.”

Vingegaard also pointed out that having strangers riding close behind him during training changes how he has to behave on the bike.

“Even if I think I shouldn’t have to, I still need to take that person behind me into account. If I brake suddenly, he might crash into me. If I need to blow my nose, I can’t just do it because I might hit him,” he explained. “I constantly have to think about someone else being there.”

He believes fans sometimes forget that professional riders are not simply out for a relaxed ride. “There is a reason I go out to ride alone. It’s because I want to ride alone,” Vingegaard said.

According to Vingegaard, the problem is particularly noticeable when training abroad, where cycling hotspots attract large numbers of amateur riders hoping to spot professionals.

“It’s not so much when I ride in Denmark because there aren’t that many cyclists around Glyngøre,” he said. “But when you are abroad there are often many people sitting on your wheel.”

The issue has already forced some teams to take action. Rival rider Tadej Pogacar has previously been accompanied by a motorcycle during training rides in Spain after several dangerous encounters with fans.

Vingegaard admits he has thought about whether that could eventually become necessary for him as well.

“When the crash had just happened I also thought that if it continues like this and gets worse, then that’s where it ends,” he said. “Either riders will have a motorcycle with them or some kind of personal bodyguard so people can’t get close.”

For Vingegaard, however, that would be the worst possible outcome. “We have to protect ourselves,” he said. “But if it comes to that, then cycling becomes something very different.”