Gilbert doesn't spare Vingegaard: "He tried to hide behind others, as always"

Jonas Vingegaard generally fits in well with the peloton. The somewhat timid Dane does not bother anyone, and few people have a problem with the leader of Visma | Lease a Bike. But Philippe Gilbert is anything but a fan of the two-time Tour de France winner. The 42-year-old Belgian was not impressed by Vingegaard's behavior during Paris-Nice: he openly doubts his leadership qualities after the apocalyptic fourth stage.

Paris-Nice was discussed on the set of RTL Sports' Dans le Peloton and, of course, the fourth stage, where the harsh weather conditions temporarily neutralized the race. The race was halted twice, after which it eventually continued. However, the riders were chilled to the bone, and some even went home with symptoms of hypothermia. It was an atypical finale, in which Vingegaard tried to break away but was eventually caught by João Almeida, who managed to win on top of La Loge des Gardes.

Gilbert saw a weak Vingegaard there. "Vingegaard tried to hide behind other people, as always," he complained in his analysis. "According to the former world champion, the Dane should have taken more responsibility as the absolute leader of the pack. His status as a two-time Tour winner gives him a lot of weight in discussions like this, but he does not use that," according to Gilbert.

Read more below the photo!

The fourth stage of Paris-Nice was halted twice.

Vingegaard commented - after the race - on the organization's decision

"He should have told the ASO that decisions had to be made quickly and directly in the interest of everyone, the teams, and the organizers," the former classics specialist continued. "And he was completely absent. He may have been injured, but these are times when we need the leaders of cycling. And once again, he was absent." Afterward, Vingegaard complained about the coincidence of circumstances: he believed the race should not have been allowed to continue.

"I'm just not happy at the moment because, in my opinion, we should never have ridden the final," Vingegaard said after the fourth stage. "We should never have continued, but we did. We had about 5 or 10 minutes to warm up again, but it didn't work. I still have no warmth in my body; I am still cold. But of course, the weather has affected everyone." Winner João Almeida went against his rival: "Cycling is not a sport for wimps," said the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider.  

Read more below the photo!

Stark contrast to Pogacar: "He is brimming with charisma"

During the race, however, he did not join in the discussion. "This shows his great lack of charisma. This often gets in his way, even in the final phase of races. He has zero charisma. He cannot exert influence like Pogacar, who is twice as charismatic. He completely overshadows him." In the fall of 2024, Tadej Pogacar almost single-handedly ensured neutralization in Tre Valli Varesine, where the weather was perhaps even worse than in Paris-Nice.  

Read also

"The people who ruined me are paying a heavy price"; Wiggins back on track – thanks to Armstrong

Participants Milan-Sanremo 2025 | Powless gears up with extra focus for the finale

🎥 After Strade crash, Pogacar tells fan during Milan-Sanremo recon that he's back: "I feel great"

Preview: Milan-Sanremo 2025 | The only monument where the weather report matters more than the legs

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get every week the latest news about CYCLING in your inbox!

Subscribe