Vingegaard was hoping Pogacar would let him have stage win, Jorgenson explains why he hindered Carapaz

Jonas Vingegaard, Matteo Jorgenson and Wilco Kelderman gave it their all in the last mountain stage of the Tour de France. Visma | Lease a Bike was again in the breakaway, which ultimately fell short because Vingegaard impressively countered a late attack by Remco Evenepoel. The stage win was claimed by Tadej Pogacar, but the Dutch team still had plenty of reasons to smile.

In the day's breakaway, we saw Kelderman alongside Jan Tratnik. Tratnik selflessly worked for Kelderman on the final climb, but Kelderman couldn't capitalize. "I was hopeful, but ultimately, they chased us down," Kelderman told the NOS, referencing the pace Soudal-Quick Step set up for Evenepoel. "I was somewhat spent at the end since I had already pushed hard yesterday. There was also a lack of cooperation. It seemed like the breakaway wasn’t really committed, which was unfortunate. They were just too strong from behind... Still, it ended beautifully."

"As a team, we fought with everything we had in this Tour. Things didn't always go our way, but we did our best. We can be proud of that," said the veteran climber, who also received high praise from sporting director Merijn Zeeman after the race. "I would have been thrilled if Wilco had managed to win a stage in a grand tour. It was a fair fight, though, and Quick Step took control. It was thrilling because we were worried Remco felt really strong and that we had to defend that second place. But Jonas was outstanding. With this lead, he should be secure in that second place," Zeeman told the NOS.

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Vingegaard was hoping Pogacar would let him have stage win

Vingegaard was interviewed by Eurosport right after finishing, still emotional. He candidly discussed his duel with Pogacar, who clung to his wheel and sprinted to victory. "I had hoped he might let me have the stage win, but I was pushing so hard that if he sprinted, I stood no chance. I was at my limit and could only hope. But that is cycling, and I hold no grudge. I'd probably do the same. I'm pleased with my performance today and my comeback from yesterday."

Vingegaard struggled on Friday's stage over Bonette and Isola 2000, which he also acknowledged the following day. "Today was tough, but I felt so much better than yesterday, which was one of my worst days on the bike. I was completely spent. Today was a huge improvement. When Remco attacked, I knew if he went again, I'd counter. Then, I focused more on gaining time on him rather than the stage win. Feeling this way is motivating and boosts your confidence."

Such confidence, in fact, that Visma | Lease a Bike isn't settling for just a ceremonial finish in Sunday's time trial. "We're going to try one last time. It won't be easy, but we aim to get as close as possible," Zeeman declared. Vingegaard seemed less confident during subsequent media interviews. "Remco is the world's best time trialist, so it's uncertain. Three minutes is a lot, but time can slip away quickly. I'm grateful for that extra minute. I'll do everything I can to maintain that second place."

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Visma | Lease a Bike praises Vingegaard's mindset

The team also praised Vingegaard's mindset, suggesting Visma | Lease a Bike will likely see two riders finish in the top ten. Jorgenson, who showed incredible strength in the third week, moved up by one position in the GC, though he couldn't make the breakaway on Saturday. Mountain king Richard Carapaz was well aware of Jorgenson's attempts. "Yesterday, I essentially handed out mountain points for free from the breakaway and didn't understand why later. He didn't contribute much, so today I made him sprint for it. He didn't expect that, as he got everything for free yesterday. It was just a bit of fun," Jorgenson chuckled, recalling his victorious sprint on the Col de Turini.

His seventh place today was significant. Jorgenson is eighth heading into the time trial, closely followed by Derek Gee. "The tank is almost empty, so I'm looking forward to a good dinner tonight, then we'll give it our all tomorrow," he said, laughing. A top-ten finish would be remarkable, though Jorgenson prefers to highlight Vingegaard's effort. "I have much to learn from him. His mental strength and work ethic are impressive. He isn’t just one of the best cyclists in the world by chance. He works incredibly hard. He's very humble, and I'm happy for him."

Kelderman also lauded Vingegaard, who he felt deserved a stage win. "It’s a shame Pogacar didn’t let Jonas win, but that's racing. I followed everything on the radio, and Jonas was exceptionally strong, especially after that tough day yesterday. He's mentally tough. We planned to push hard yesterday, so it was tough not being able to. Today, he just went for it again, and that was great to see." Zeeman echoed this sentiment, expressing deep respect for his leader. "Remco sensed an opportunity against Jonas on Friday and it’s admirable that he tried. Jonas was prepared to dig deep, and he did superbly. Grischa (Niermann, ed.) and I told him this morning how incredibly proud we are. It's remarkable that he even made it to the Tour, and Pogacar is simply the strongest. He rightly deserves to win the Tour. We are extremely proud of what we showed here."