The Danish leader of Visma – Lease A Bike has gained muscle strength. “I am slightly heavier, that gives a little more power.”
That certainly applies compared to last year’s Tourstart. In the spring, Vingegaard crashed heavily in the Tour of Basque Country and was in a Spanish hospital for two weeks. “Then you lose a lot of muscle strength. It is also the biggest difference with how I was at the start. It took me a lot more time than I expected. I achieved a high level in the Tour last year. But only after a year my body felt like that fall. I am now at my best level ever.”
No fewer than 28,000 agents to guarantee Mathieu van der Poel and Co at Tour-Start
Visma has a plan to hijack Tour victory at Pogacar
His team has a plan to beat Tadej Pogacar and to help Vingegaard after 2022 and 2023 to a third Tour victory. “But I don’t explain that,” said Vingegaard.
The muscle strength won should also help him in the first week and a half if the high mountains are not yet affected. The Slovenian Pogacar, who won the Tour for the third time last year, is a rider who also attacks at the end with a shorter climb at the end. “I now have a better acceleration. That is why we have chosen to work more on it. I missed that a bit.”
Tadej Pogacar in Regenboogtrui received at Tour presentation: ‘Vive La France, Vive Le Tour’
Vingegaard respects Pogacar
But in the first ten days, his goal remains to stay out of trouble. “The big differences are made in the mountains,” said Vingegaard in a packed room. On Thursday, Pogacar had called him the best climber in the world. “A nice compliment, but he was better in the Dauphiné last month than me on the longer climbing.”
The rivals respect each other. “I certainly admire Tadej. He is a nice guy and a good rider. A rival of his level brings out the best in yourself. You have to train hard. But I am certainly not afraid of him, I have respect.”
Team leader Grischa Niermann, also joined, did not let anything go about the plans for the coming weeks. They must be performed by a team without Dutch people. “Unfortunately, but we are an international team and take the best riders to support Jonas. He has now had a perfect preparation. We are ready.”
Van Aert recovered does not think of green sweater in Tour
Wout van Aert has been reasonably recovered from a stomach flu that let him cancel last Sunday for the Belgian championship. “It was badly timed,” said the Belgian during a press moment of his Visma – Lease A Bike team, one day before the start of the Tour de France in Lille.
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“I could barely eat on Sunday. Monday was a little better, and since Tuesday I am back on my bike. I feel a little less good now than last week, but hopefully it will no longer affect my performance.”
Van Aert starts his seventh tour. He already has nine stage victories behind his name, but the latter dates from 2022, when he also took the green sweater home. Profit from the points classification is not a goal this year, Van Aert said. “The main objective is the yellow sweater for Jonas Vingegaard. Green does not really play for me. It is also difficult to collect enough points in the really flat journeys. Occasionally a day with less stress.”