Why is Jonas Vingegaard using tiny 150mm cranks?

This week the collective bike tech nerds of Instagram were treated to the news that, perhaps in an effort to one-up longtime rival Tadej Pogačar, two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard was spotted at the Volta ao Algarve using 150mm cranks. 

In April of 2024, Cyclingnews reported that Tadej Pogačar had made the switch from 172.5mm to 165mm cranks to improve his cadence and aerodynamics. Not to be outdone, it appears that Visma-Lease a Bike has switched to shorter cranks too. It’s not just for Jonas Vingegaard, but for numerous riders, with reports that Wout van Aert is down to 160 or 165mm. Vingegaard is perhaps the most prominent, partially because he is the team’s key rider for the Tour de France, and also because he is one of the most diminutive figures at 175cm tall, and as such is likely to need shorter cranks compared to his more lofty teammates. 

150mm cranks for Vingegaard