How Jonas Vingegaard believes he can challenge Tadej Pogacar in 2025 precisely because of his heavy crash

We haven't heard from Jonas Vingegaard for a long time, but is that a good or bad sign? The Dane gave a convincing answer at the Visma | Lease a Bike media day: He is doing well, which gives him hope for 2025 when he wants to win the Tour de France again. "I will do everything I can to be at the start in my best possible shape," said the leader.

"I had a good offseason," Vingegaard said. "I finished my season on August 18 in the Tour of Poland, so it's been a while since that, too. In the beginning I kept training, then I took two weeks of real vacation. He found peace with his family after a turbulent year, after which he could set his sights on 2025."

That he stopped his season so early had everything to do with the arrival of a new Vingegaard/Hansen family member. "I was glad to spend some time with my family after the season. In September, we welcomed our newborn son. That was a very special moment for us."

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Vingegaard thinks he can come back stronger in 2025

2025 has begun, but how does he reflect on last season one more time? "From a sporting point of view, 2024 was a bizarre year for me. It started fantastically with my overall victories in O Gran Camiño and Tirreno-Adriatico. I was perfectly on track towards the bigger goal ahead: the Tour de France. I felt I was ready. In my opinion, I was riding stronger than ever." But then in early April, fate struck for Vingegaard. In the fourth stage of Itzulia Basque Country, he was involved in a mass crash. "It was quite a task to recover from the crash as well as from the disappointment," the Dane explains.

"It was already a personal victory that I was ready to start the Tour. And so I'm very proud of that," he says without hesitation. "My injuries were worse than most people thought. I had sustained several fractures. In total, I spent twelve days in hospital, eight of them in intensive care. It was a difficult period, but I learnt a lot from it."

"What came after that was an absolute bonus for me. That I managed to win a stage and that I finished second in the general classification was special,' the Dane continued. A few weeks later, I won a big race with the Tour de Pologne. I look back at those moments with a lot of pride."

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No Giro, but Vuelta for Vingegaard: "But most looking forward to the Tour"

There were rumors here and there that Vingegaard would like to set his sights on the Giro, but nothing could be further from the truth. "My biggest goal for 2025 is to win the Tour de France for the third time," he looks ahead. "It is the race that means the most to me. Its greatness is unique in the world of cycling. The Tour always gives me a special feeling, so I'm looking forward to it immensely. I will do everything I can to be at the start in my best possible shape."

"In Paris-Nice, I still have something to put right. Also Catalunya is not yet on my palmares." After the Tour, the Vuelta a España is also still on the calendar for the Danish leader of Team Visma | Lease a Bike. "I'm motivated to show myself in the coming season."

Jonas Vingegaard 2025 program

• Volta ao Algarve
• Paris-Nice
• Volta a Catalunya
• Critérium du Dauphiné
• Tour de France
• Vuelta a España

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