Vingegaard Still Believes In Tour De France Chances Despite Pogacar Dominance

Jonas Vingegaard whitethorn beryllium much than 4 minutes down nan wide title leader Tadej Pogacar successful this year’s Tour de France, but nan Dane still believes he tin win.

As nan title heads towards nan endgame, pinch Tuesday’s acme decorativeness connected Mont Ventoux nan prelude to a gruelling trawl done nan Alps, nan large mobility however, is does his squad still believe?

“I do still deliberation that I tin win,” Vingegaard said during nan Tour’s 2nd remainder time successful Montpelier. “It looks very hard, but I still deliberation I tin do it.”

As Pogacar’s biggest rival, nan Visma-Lease a Bike rider is obliged to believe. But aft Sunday’s shape to Carcassonne, which saw nan double Tour champion deserted by immoderate of his teammates conscionable erstwhile he needed them most, nan task of overthrowing Pogacar looks doubly daunting.

“We person to effort to do something,” he said and insisted that he was consenting to consequence everything to win. “There needs to beryllium a weakness location connected Tadej’s part. For now, we haven’t recovered it, but we’ll support trying. I’m consenting to sacrifice 2nd spot to spell for first.”

But if he is to execute an improbable coup, he will request much convincing support that he has received to date. Sunday’s debacle, which saw Vingegaard chasing backmost aft a crash, while others successful his squad drove nan gait astatine nan front, prompted overmuch soul-searching successful Denmark.

Bjarne Riis, nan first Dane to triumph nan Tour successful 1996, who subsequently confessed to doping, blasted Vingegaard’s teammates erstwhile speaking to Danish newspaper BT.

“Their racing style is wholly hopeless,” he said. “I don’t understand it astatine all. After Sunday’s stage, you person to wonderment whether Jonas should look for different team. They intelligibly don’t spot him arsenic a priority. That’s disappointing to see.”

Echoing comments made by Vingegaard’s wife, and individual manager, Trine Vingegaard Hansen, earlier nan Tour began, Riis added: “Wout Van Aert is intelligibly much willing successful riding his ain Tour than successful helping Vingegaard.”

“The guidance has promised Van Aert that he tin do what he wants, and that is going to origin conflicts. Give Jonas immoderate respect.”

Tadej Pogacar smiles arsenic he crosses nan decorativeness statement aft shape 15. Photograph: Luca Betinni/GodingImages/Shutterstock

Meanwhile a relaxed Tadej Pogacar was enthusing astir nan happy ambiance wrong his ain team, saying: “ I’m really enjoying this Tour. The group that we person here, nan teammates and connected nan bus, astatine dinner, breakfast, it’s ace nice. If I request to travel to nan Tour each year, I’ll conscionable travel for nan boys and nan ambiance and thing else.”

Pogacar is assured of last victory. “ I mean, I person to be,” he said.

But he remains respectful towards his Danish rival. “I’m beautiful judge that Jonas tin beryllium assured arsenic well, because he’s successful really bully shape. I request to support focused, I request to support eating well, sleeping well, and support this temper that we person successful this group, support up nan motivation.”

“I deliberation it’s going to beryllium tough,” Pogacar added, “but we are fresh for a conflict pinch everybody, particularly pinch Jonas.”

Pogacar added that he felt this year’s way was designed to “scare” him and favour Vingegaard. “We’ve been to Hautacam and we are going to Mont Ventoux and Col de la Loze, wherever Jonas dropped maine [in nan past] each 3 times.

“I really for illustration each these climbs. I for illustration Mont Ventoux, it’s ace iconic, and Col de la Loze is 1 of nan hardest climbs I’ve ever done successful my career. I will not opportunity that I’m looking for revenge — I conscionable want to person amended legs than successful nan past.”