Vingegaard and Campenaerts reveal how bib tights 'strip act' didn't go to plan at Paris-Nice

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) delivered a clinical display on stage 4 of Paris-Nice, on a day where the race was completely flipped on its head. 

In just his fourth race day of the season, the three-time Grand Tour champion stormed into the yellow jersey and set himself up in the prime position to win the Race to the Sun for the first time in his career, after crashing out with a concussion twelve months ago

However, the Dane attracted plenty of attention beyond just his performance, as Vingegaard wore bib-shorts over his jersey in a rain-soaked finale in Uchon on his way to beating Daniel Felipe Martínez (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) by 41 seconds. 

Speaking to reporters ahead of the start of stage 5, Vingegaard explained the reasoning behind the unique look, citing last year’s setback as a key factor, as well as the influence of one of his key lieutenants. 

"Yeah, well, the story is quite easy. Victor [Campenaerts] and I were a bit afraid two days ago, because, yeah, we still had bad memories from last year,” Vingegaard told reporters. 

“So we decided both of us to go with the winter pants, and I asked Victor to take out the chamois of my pants, and then the rest I did myself, I cut it all the way open with only a small part left.”

However, with the unrelenting nature of the stage and the drive from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, there was ultimately no time for Vingegaard and Campenaerts to execute the plan that they had designed. 

“The plan was that we could rip it together and then take it off, but yeah, well, the Red Bull guys, especially the [Mick and Tim] van Dijke brothers and Nico Denz, thought otherwise, so there was no time to take it off,” Vingegaard joked.

Campenaerts also reflected playfully on the plan that ultimately didn’t come to fruition, but didn't stop Vingegaard from taking the 43rd victory of his career.

"I could have really helped with that strip act. That would have been spectacular and would have made the performance even more special. But luckily Jonas didn't have cold legs,” said Campenaerts. 

After the success on the stage and with the attention that surrounded Vingegaard’s plan, the Dane didn’t rule out the prospect of pulling a similar stunt in the near future. Particularly if the weather forecasts remain accurate with stage 7 on Saturday, under threat from minus temperatures and snow showers.

“Who knows how I'm not gonna throw them out, that's for sure. So maybe I'll keep them and, maybe on Saturday already, I have to use them, 
I don't know, but at least then I will also take them to my next race, for sure," said Vingegaard.

With four stages remaining, Vingegaard leads Martínez by 52 seconds, with Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost) in third at 3:20.