Vingegaard surprises everyone: "We underestimated him," admits team director Zeeman

Merijn Zeeman, is looking forward to the second week of the Tour de France with Visma | Lease a Bike. The team is showing itself, with team leader Jonas Vingegaard trailing by a substantial minute behind the unleashed yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar. However, the Dutch squad is also vulnerable. In a podcast, specially made on the rest day, Zeeman, as the sports director, discusses the situation. And he still has confidence in a positive outcome.

"Today I went for a ride with Frans Maassen and Richard Plugge, 80 kilometers, which was nice," he described his rest day, aside from media obligations. "That ride is nice after all the long days in this Tour." Of course, the 2024 edition is also Zeeman's last. "I will definitely miss certain things. Certain places, the feeling of stages like the gravel day."

Zeeman sees Vingegaard continuing to grow: "He's already used to it all again"

The team director also took stock of the Tour so far. "We're here to win, of course. The course is tough this year. So far, it hasn't suited Jonas Vingegaard. We need to be patient. 1.15 minutes behind is quite something. Hopefully, there will come a time when we can start making up time." What does Zeeman mean exactly? "He needs to keep hanging on, and create an opportunity in the high mountains," he refers to the last week.

"We actually expected him to be less good than he is now. He is mentally very relaxed. That's good, everything was still new in the opening week, but he quickly gets used to it all again. That's promising. He's just really good," he sounds hopeful about the two-time Tour winner. But actually, everyone from the top is good, Zeeman thinks. "We're watching the entire top ten. Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic, Remco Evenepoel. They're all still there. We really have to wait for the Pyrenees and the Alps," concludes the sports director heading to the Dutch football team AZ next year. "I hope we can still hear: 'Pogacar distanced!' Think of the two stages from stage 14 and from stage 19. We just want to create a good battle."