Riis warns Vingegaard: "If he had won this year, it would have been a different story"

After losing in the Tour de France last season, Visma | Lease a bike's sights are set on next year. Jonas Vingegaard, hopefully now top fit, must compete against the seemingly untouchable Tadej Pogacar in the Tour de France. But the Tour de France is not the only option for the Dane. The Giro d'Italia is also among the possibilities. Compatriot Bjarne Riis thinks that's not an option.

Although Pogacar could easily do the double this year, Riis would rather see Vingegaard focus entirely on the Tour. "We have seen that Pogacar can ride the giro and compete in the Tour shortly after," he told BT. "We also expect Jonas is capable of that. But if Jonas wants to go to the Tour, I don't think I would do the Giro first."

It's not that he doesn't think Vingegaard can win the Giro, the 60-year-old former rider says. "I think it's cool if Jonas would decide to do it. But it's also risky. Visma obviously knows firsthand how to recover and get him on top of his strength. If the Tour is his priority, I do not see him riding the Giro first. I say that based on the fact that he is not the defending Tour winner. It would have been a different story if he had won this year. But there are also many things they know that we don't know. And then I also have to say that the boy might want to try something new once; it's just possible."

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No Pogacar in the Giro? That's not the reason, Riis said

One reason for going to Italy could be that the Slovenian world champion is unlikely to be at the start. But for Vingegaard, that will not be a factor, said The Eagle from Herning. "When you've won the Tour twice, I don't believe you think like that,' he said. In the battle between the two, the Tour de France should be the priority."

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