Vingegaard responds to Pedersen's criticism of post-season criteriums - 'Not the toughest, but not always easy'

The two-time Tour de France champion responded to comments from fellow Danish rider Mads Pedersen, who on his 'Lang Distance' podcast described such exhibition events as "horrible to watch, because there aren't even any of the riders trying to make it look like they're racing."

When presented with this criticism by Ekstra Bladet, Vingegaard laughed it off while understanding the limited sporting value of such events.

"Obviously, it is probably not the toughest bike race over there. But there is still a lot of riding, and it's not always easy," Vingegaard said.

The Visma | Lease a Bike team leader explained that these exhibitions can still present challenges, recalling his experience in Singapore, where he struggled. He also pointed out that many riders participate in these events for the travel opportunity they provide.

Vingegaard himself combined the Japanese race with a family holiday, viewing it as a way to give back to the sport of cycling. The experience wasn't without incident, however.

"Right in Japan, it was raining and it was a bit slippery, so I ended up crashing. So maybe it wasn't the smartest thing," he admitted.

Despite the mishap, the Danish rider remained positive about the overall experience. "But I think it was a good experience. Both the bike race and the whole trip to Japan," he told Ekstra Bladet.

The 2025 season has been another strong one for Vingegaard, who secured second place in the Tour de France and victory in the Vuelta a España. The Saitama Criterium victory capped off his season before a well-deserved break.

After a month's holiday that included two exhibition races, Vingegaard has now returned to his home in Glyngøre, where he will begin preparations for the 2026 season, where his schedule is still up in the air, at this moment in time.