Two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard will not race the Critérium du Dauphiné, according to a statement from organizers on Friday.
The seven day stage race is a traditional warm-up for contenders headed to the Tour de France from June 21 to July 29. Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič, for example, will be there. The Belgian and Slovenian were both involved in the same crash the Dane was at the Tour of the Basque Country. Following the crash Dane remained hospitalized in Spain.
Jonas Vingegaaard’s slow comeback
Vingegaard suffered the most severe injuries, diagnosed with fractures to his ribs and collarbone, along with lung damage. He was discharged from the hospital on April 16, twelve days after the incident.
Although Vingegaard has begun training, the clock is ticking for him to get to top fitness for the Tour. Representatives have been optimistic he could get into shape for the race, but underscored he’d only race it if he was at a level where he could win another yellow jersey.
Pogi and his 2023 lead-up
The Dane won the 2023 Critérium du Dauphiné, and went on to take his second Tour de France, beating Slovenian Tadej Pogačar. Vingegaard has only been riding since May 7, and only recently began some serious training in Mallorca. In an interesting parallel, in 2023, his rival Pogačarwas also compromised in his lead-up to the Tour.
Jonas Vingegaard is now a Hansen and I for one, very much approve
In 2023, he also suffered setbacks with his preparation. After crashing out of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, he was later diagnosed with a broken wrist. This significantly disrupted his preparation for the race. It meant several weeks off from riding, he missed his usual preparation races, and definitely affected his fitness.
Proper preparation needed to be at peak fitness
Although he began the Tour well and seemed to be on equal footing as the Dane, he cracked on Stage 17. “I’m gone, I’m dead,” he famously said. He lost almost six minutes–and the fight to win the Tour again.
Without Vingegaard, the Visma-Lease a Bike team will instead rely on Americans Sepp Kuss, winner of the last Vuelta a España, and Matteo Jorgenson, winner of Paris-Nice in March.
The question of Wout van Aert
Another Visma – a Bike rider on the mend is Belgian Wout van Aert. He entered his first race in two months, the Tour of Norway. Although he’s had more foundation than Vingegaard, it seems that he is still a ways off from reaching top form. He would…
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