Rasmussen warns Vingegaard over Tour de France preparation: ‘The captain must make the same sacrifices’

Michael Rasmussen believes Jonas Vingegaard could risk undermining the team spirit needed to win the Tour de France if he spends less time at altitude training camps. The former professional argues that a team leader must prepare alongside his teammates rather than expect them to make sacrifices on his behalf.

Speaking on Viaplay’s Sportstalk, Rasmussen took issue with comments made by Vingegaard’s wife and manager, Trine Marie Vingegaard, who suggested in a Viaplay interview in late July that altitude simulation technology could help her husband reduce the amount of time spent travelling to training camps.

“Sometimes there is a bit of a misunderstanding up in Glyngøre about what is best for Jonas from a sporting perspective,” Rasmussen said, referring to Vingegaard’s hometown.

“If Jonas wants to succeed and have hopes of winning the Tour de France, he needs to have the team behind him.”

For Rasmussen, the issue is also about earning the support of the riders expected to sacrifice their own ambitions for Vingegaard at the Tour de France.

“You can’t expect all your teammates to be delighted about spending four weeks at an altitude training camp to support a rider who isn’t even there,” he said.

“You go to war together as soldiers. It doesn't work if the captain isn't making all the same sacrifices, including going to altitude training camp.”

“If you want the full support of all your soldiers, you have to lead from the front and be up there on the mountain yourself.”

The comments come against the backdrop of a wider debate about Vingegaard’s workload, which attracted significant attention during the 2025 Tour de France.

In an interview with Danish newspaper Politiken, Trine Marie Vingegaard questioned whether Visma | Lease a Bike was asking too much of her husband. She raised concerns about the lengthy periods he spent away from home and suggested that the demands of professional cycling needed to be reconsidered.

She also questioned aspects of Visma’s Tour de France strategy, particularly the balance between supporting Vingegaard’s general classification ambitions and allowing teammates to pursue individual opportunities.

The interview prompted a response from within Visma, with sports director Grischa Niermann playing down suggestions of tension between the team and the Vingegaard family.

At the time, the debate largely centred on whether Trine’s comments were justified. But in July 2026, Vingegaard revealed that he had seriously considered ending his career the previous year.

“I said last year that if this was how it was going to be, I couldn’t be in it anymore,” Vingegaard told Danish broadcaster TV2.

The Dane explained that the constant attention to training, body weight and time away from his family had become increasingly difficult to manage.

After discussions with Visma management, changes were made to his racing calendar and training schedule.

“I think that in general you should look at it more individually, what suits the individual rider best,” Vingegaard said.

The changes helped him rediscover some of his enjoyment of the sport.

“I’m much happier being a cyclist,” he said. “We have taken a step in the right direction, but it is clear that it is only a step.”

Attention now turns to Vingegaard’s 2027 season, with his race programme still to be finalised and a possible Giro d’Italia title defence among the options under consideration.

Whether his approach to altitude training will change remains unclear. Visma have not announced any plans to reduce his time at training camps.