Did Visma-Lease a Bike's Tour de France tactics fail on stage 17? 'Maybe they could try to attack for Jonas'
Three riders up the road, but the Dutch team didn't win the stage, and their leader Jonas Vingegaard ceded time


With Jonas Vingegaard being more than three minutes in arrears to race leader Tadej Pogačar, the expectation has been that Visma-Lease a Bike would go on the offensive in the final two mountain stages of the Tour de France, aiming to repeat their team masterclasses of the past two editions which isolated Pogačar, ultimately leading to his defeat.
So when three of the team’s riders – Wout van Aert, Christophe Laporte and Tiesj Benoot – were present in stage 17’s various large breakaways, a medium mountain stage in the Alps, there was surprise: were the Dutch team about to catch UAE Team Emirates off guard and claw back time on Pogačar earlier than they had anticipated? After all, they would no doubt have seen Pogačar’s rest day comments that he believed Visma would only attack on one of the three mountain days in the Alps.
What transpired, however, was nothing of the sort: Visma didn’t win the stage, that honour went to EF Education-EasyPost’s Richard Carapaz, and Vingegaard actually lost time. Only two seconds to Pogačar, and a further 12 to Remco Evenepoel in third, but still, the defending champion lost time when he’s meant to be reducing his three minute-plus deficit. If Laporte had not dropped back to aid the Dane when Pogačar attacked towards the top of the penultimate climb, it could have been much worse. Probably would have been.
“It’s a good question and it’s hard to answer,” Pogačar said when questioned by CW if Visma had failed to capitalise from having a numerical advantage up the road. “They waited for Jonas, and in the end they did a really great job, but like you said, maybe they could also try to launch an attack for Jonas, because he had Tiesj Benoot and Wout van Aert in front which would have gave them a great chance to have a gap.”
Benoot explained the plan behind the day’s tactics: “It was good to have someone in the break to either go for the stage, or what we did in the end: to help in the quite explosive final [because] it was maybe a bit less good for Jonas. And it was good that we still had some guys in the front to pull behind Remco.”
Asked if it was a disappointment that Visma didn’t win the stage, nor attacked Pogačar, Benoot said: “Of course. When you’re there with four guys [in the first group on the road], 1:40 on the big group behind us which was working well together, I had a chance to win a stage. But when the climbers flew by I knew it wasn’t [possible to win] the stage anymore and I was happy to help Jonas and the team in the final.”
Though Visma were unable to take stage honours, Laporte was crucial in ensuring that Vingegaard’s final gap to Pogačar after the stage was not greater, the European champion dropping back from the break and pacing the two-time winner back to the yellow jersey on the road leading to the final climb. “I tried to be at the top and wait for Jonas if there was a gap between him and Pogačar and Evenepoel. That was the case, and so it was lucky I was there to close the gap.”
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
So Visma’s tactics weren’t a failure? “No,” Laporte responded. “We were in the break to try and win the stage with Tiesj and Wout, but Wout spent a lot of energy, me as well, and it wasn’t a good stage for me. I was sure I wouldn’t win the stage and that’s why I waited at the top in case Tadej attacked. And that was the case.”
Pressure is building towards stage 19. Visma have to start racing aggressively, something they did so well in the past two years, and attack if Vingegaard is to win a third successive Tour. “I think today we already tried,” Benoot said. “We keep trying every day.”
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and long reads across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013. In 2024 he released a seven-part podcast documentary, Ghost in the Machine, about motor doping in cycling.
Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains. He lives in Valencia, Spain.
-
Tadej Pogačar flies to dominant victory at La Flèche Wallonne
Slovenian takes second win at Belgian classic ahead of Kévin Vauquelin and Tom Pidcock
By Tom Thewlis
-
Colombian climbing star and former Vuelta a España winner Lucho Hererra could be investigated over murders of four people
A judge has called for an investigation into the former Vuelta winner who is alleged to have worked with paramilitary groups in Colombia
By Tom Thewlis
-
Marianne Vos signs career-long 'forever' contract with Visma-Lease a Bike
Former world champion becomes team's second rider to pen indefinite deal
By Tom Davidson
-
Remco Evenepoel hails end of 'dark period' and announces racing return
Olympic champion says comeback from training crash has been 'the hardest battle of my life so far'
By Tom Thewlis
-
'I continue to amaze myself' - 19-year-old Matthew Brennan set for Paris-Roubaix debut
British teenager called up to first Monument with Visma-Lease a Bike
By Tom Davidson
-
'We need to keep the biggest race in the sport free' - Petition calling for Tour de France to remain on free-to-air television reaches 10,000 signatures
As things stand, the Tour will be not be free to watch in 2026, but a petition is seeking to change the way it is categorised by the UK government
By Adam Becket
-
Could Caleb Ewan be Ineos Grenadiers' first Tour de France sprinter since Mark Cavendish? 'That's my goal'
"All I can do is try to win as much as possible and prove that I deserve to be there," says Australian
By Tom Davidson
-
'I never thought in a million years I would beat Wout in a sprint' - Neilson Powless shocks with improbable Dwars door Vlaanderen win
Visma-Lease a Bike put on a show of force ahead of the Tour of Flanders on Sunday but came away without the victory in Waregem
By Tom Thewlis
-
Extra wildcard team approved for Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España
Number of teams to increase from 22 to 23 at men's Grand Tours
By Tom Davidson
-
'You couldn't wish for a better season' - Matthew Brennan earns first pro win with Visma-Lease a Bike
British teenager outsprints experienced WorldTour talent at GP de Denain
By Tom Davidson