Jonas Vingegaard is already again in coaching and his Visma-Lease a Bike are already engaged on how you can tackle Tadej Pogačar on the subsequent Tour de France, figuring out they’ve a variety of work to do in the event that they hope to defeat the Slovenian and win the Tour.
The Dane hasn’t raced since profitable the Tour de Pologne on August 18. He grew to become a father for a second time quickly after, however has saved a low profile. His horrible crash on the Itzulia Basque Nation race in April and his severe accidents meant he solely raced for 44 days in 2024.
Vingegaard suffered a punctured lung, damaged ribs and a damaged collarbone, compromising his preparation for the Tour de France. He tried to tackle Pogačar however finally completed 6:17 behind in Good. He was left bodily and mentally drained.
Whereas most riders, together with Pogačar, are having fun with their low season holidays, Vingegaard is already again within the saddle, laying down a brand new base for 2025 and Visma-Lease a Bike are engaged on how you can shut the hole on their greatest rival.
“He had a protracted break, his final race was the Tour de Pologne in August after which he grew to become a father. He is began coaching and increase for subsequent 12 months,” mentioned Grischa Niermann, who’s now the top of racing at Visma-Lease a Bike after Merijn Zeeman left to work in soccer.
“I feel that is regular and within the subsequent week, we’ll make an excellent plan and see precisely what his 2025 season will seem like.”
The Tour de France needs to be central to Vingegaard’s 2025 season. Nonetheless driving the Giro d’Italia beforehand, may very well be an choice, to assist Vingegaard return to his greatest for July.
“We have now to resolve however we gained the Tour de France twice and never this 12 months, so usually it’s going to be his first goal. We have now not determined but nevertheless it’s more than likely.
“The Giro-Tour is an choice, we noticed that Tadej Pogačar did it this 12 months. There’s additionally the Tour-Vuelta, or simply the Tour, we have to resolve.”
2025 Tour
Vingegaard, like Pogačar and most different big-name general contenders, was not on the presentation of the 2025 Tour de France route.
Niermann and Visma-Lease a Bike group supervisor Richard Plugge watched the route presentation from the Paris Palais des Congrès and preferred what they noticed. The primary week in northern France may very well be a check of nerves and bike expertise for Vingegaad however the quite a few mountain high finishes and excessive mountains go well with him effectively. They’ll now start to work on the Visma-Lease a Bike technique for 2025.
“We prefer it and it seems to be actually good for Jonas,” Niermann mentioned.
“I feel it is a very good parcours, I feel it is a very onerous Tour de France, particularly within the second half. There are some good climbs and good phases, the place Jonas has actually good reminiscences, these with 5000m of climbing, just like the stage to the Col de la Loze.
“Now we’ve got to do our homework to shut the hole that was there this 12 months. We all know that Jonas with regular preparation and with out the crash, generally is a lot higher than this 12 months. However there’s additionally an enormous hole with Pogačar, so we’ve got a variety of work to do. We’re optimistic that it is potential however Pogačar would be the man to beat.”
Directeur Sportif Frans Maassen is effectively conscious of the work Vimsa-Lease a Bike must do and the advance they should discover to problem Pogačar.
“Pogačar is solely the very best. It’s as much as the remainder of the peloton to look to cut back the hole. We must do all the things with all the opposite groups to beat him. Hopefully the hole can be a bit smaller once more subsequent 12 months,” he lately informed Wielerflits.
“They name him the brand new Eddy Merckx. I by no means noticed Eddy do his factor however what Pogačar does is phenomenal. However two years in the past we may beat him in an important race of the season, why wouldn’t that be potential now?
“He’s at present very unreachable, however Jonas at his perfect ought to be capable to compete with him. This 12 months it didn’t go precisely as we needed with our leaders, they’d some severe crashes. However with an excellent winter and good preparation for the approaching season it will likely be completely different.”
