Visma – Lease a Bike DS gives update about Jonas Vingegaard

There have been few updates since Jonas Vingegaard had his unfortunate crash during the Tour of the Basque Country in early April. On Tuesday, Danish broadcaster TV2 conducted an extensive interview with Vingegaard’s directeur sportif Frans Maassen.

An update about Jonas Vingegaard

“It must have been really hard for him to be in hospital for 12 days. We were happy to hear that he could leave the hospital,” the Dutchman said, “He had punctured his lung. That was his biggest problem. He also had a broken collarbone and several ribs. He had also broken a finger. The biggest problem was the punctured lung. He had some blood in his lung, but I’m not a specialist. It was a question of safety – those were the main reasons he stayed there for so long. That’s why it’s really good to hear that he was able to leave the hospital.”

“Switzerland or Denmark for Vingegaard?

It’s unclear where Vingegaard is headed now–as the team does not want to divulge it.

“I know where he is going, but I don’t want to say anything about it because he needs to relax,” Maasen said. “It is better to leave him alone as much as possible so that he can recover in the next two weeks and then we can give an update.

Maassen clarified, “I’m not a doctor, but in the coming weeks, we’ll assess what’s feasible and then devise new strategies.” He outlined the recovery process, mentioning that Vingegaard will begin on an indoor trainer, then transition to rollers, and finally resume road cycling. However, the timeline remains uncertain. Emphasizing Vingegaard’s recovery as the priority, Maassen stressed the importance of crafting a solid plan for his return to cycling afterward.

“Only doing the Tour to win

In 2023, Vingegaard’s rival, Tadej Pogačar faced a setback with a wrist injury during Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2023, disrupting his training for the race. This forced him to take several weeks off from riding, causing him to miss his usual preparation races and affecting his peak performance.
Similarly, despite Vingegaard’s impressive performance in winter and spring, he might encounter a similar challenge to Pogačar—lacking crucial race-paced miles, potentially impacting his dominance in France compared to previous years.

When asked if Vingegaard would ride the Tour if he was only at 90 per cent, Maasen minced no words.

“I don’t think so. For Jonas, it is important to be at 100 per cent when the Tour starts. It’s a really tough race that he’s won twice. I don’t think he’ll ride if it’s about top-10. He has to be in top shape. We will see if that is possible over the next few weeks,” he said. “But like I said, it’s hard to predict now. He has to recover from his very bad crash. We will see in the next two weeks what progress he makes, and then we will make a new plan.

The Tour is less than three months away. Is there enough time for him to regain the form needed?

“It’s hard to say. I know Jonas is a very unique guy. Two years ago, he had a small problem with his Achilles tendon. There he hardly trained before the Tour of the Basque Country, but he finished sixth and it was even possible to win the race,” he explained. “So Jonas is a special guy. He can recover quickly, but as I’ve said, I’m not a doctor and it’s way too early to make a decision.

He has the potential to reach the highest level, Maasen concluded but his progress will depend on how quickly he recovers from this crash. The next two weeks will be crucial in assessing his condition and determining the pace of his recovery. By then, the team will have a better understanding of what’s achievable for him.