Jonas Vingegaard was greeted by a huge crowd in Copenhagen on Wednesday for his 2023 Tour de France victory. The Jumbo-Visma rider addressed the press at Copenhagen City Hall where he stood on the balcony to commemorate his victory in the presence of fans who had dressed either in red and white like the Danish flag, or yellow. (Note: Yes I know there are 5.8 million people in Denmark. It’s just a bit of hyperbole, OK?)
Hvis nogen var i tvivl: Folk er mødt op pic.twitter.com/CrD1wN0wb3
— Rasmus Nowak Franklin (@NowakFranklin_) July 26, 2023
“I’m a big fan of yours, and I am not the only one,” Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said to the 26-year-old “You’ve won the hearts of all Danes, and we are so proud of you.”
With the win, Vingegaard is the first two-time winner of the Tour. Bjarne Riis was the first Danish champion of the race, winning in 1996.
Unreal crowds in Copenhagen 😲🇩🇰
Jonas Vingegaard received an incredible welcome home after winning the 2023 Tour de France 💛
🎥 @JumboVismaRoad
_________________
🇫🇷 #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/HZXDD6JI4i— Velon CC (@VelonCC) July 26, 2023
“I still think it’s hard to believe that I’ve won the Tour de France two years in a row. That we’ve won it,” Vingegaard said.
Jonas Vingegaard:
“The celebration festivities are lovely, but mentally they are more exhausting than doing a week more of the tour against Pogacar…”🥹
— Stine Momo (DJ Momo/Momo Lamarr)❤️🔥 (@stinemomo) July 26, 2023
The Dane was flown to Denmark from Holland in a private jet with his wife Trine and daughter Frida. He raced a post-Tour crit in Boxmeer, Belgium and then went on to celebrate with his team and staff in the Netherlands at the Jumbo-Visma team headquarters.
The next stop for Vingegaard is a visit to his home in Glyngøre, where locals are planning a large, all-day celebration. Afterward, his focal point will once again be cycling. He headed to Spain in August to co-lead with Primož Roglič at the Vuelta a España.
“I hope to have a few days to relax after Friday. When I’m ready, I will then focus on training and on the Vuelta again,” he said.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…