‘There will be a lot of attacks’ - Jumbo-Visma wary of Pogačar resurrection after Vingegaard takes Tour de France lead
'Danish dynamite' enters the unknown in defending grand tour lead
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

On the evening of stage 11 of this year’s Tour de France Jumbo-Visma’s hotel in Saint-Chaffrey in the French Alps, just at the bottom of the fearsome Col du Granon climb, was across the road from a graveyard. They will hope they buried Tadej Pogačar’s Tour hopes there.
It was on the climb earlier in the day that suffering from a depleted team, over exuberance and under-fuelling the Slovenian ace, who had appear impervious to all attacks, cracked wide open as Jumbo piled on the pressure losing nearly three minutes and tumbling to third overall.
Champagne bottles were being popped as the riders and staff returned to the team’s hotel.
But amongst the joy there was restraint. Managing director Richard Plugge wore a big smile underneath his face mask, which he flashed for Danish TV, but his words were cautious. “Pogačar is not here to come second… Tomorrow is another day,” he said. Pogačar will not give it away like this, Ineos will also not give it away like this. There will be a third week and there will be a lot of attacks. There will be a lot of different difficult stages.”
Coach Grischa Niermann was even more succinct when asked what the squad had learned from its previous stints defending the yellow jersey. “That it only counts to have the yellow jersey in Paris and not after stage 11,” he said in reference to Primož Roglič’s heartbreaking penultimate day loss of the Tour lead in the final time trial in 2019.
Vingegaard has only led a WorldTour stage race once, when he briefly held the lead of the Tour of Poland for one stage in 2019.
Rider Nathan Van Hooydonck was a touch more bullish on defending the lead: “I think we have a team that is capable of doing it and is prepared for doing it, so I don’t think we have to worry about it,” he said.
No-one at the team was keen to give details of how they’d seek to do that either by racing aggressively to take more time or simply looking to consolidate Vingegaard’s advantage.
On Wednesday evening though the team did allow themselves to bask in the glory a little. “It was Danish Dynamite,” said Plugge.
When Van Hooydonck was asked if he was at all surprised at how good Vingegaard had been on the final climb he said: “I’ve seen what he’s been doing, the efforts he’s putting in.”
Tactical masterstroke
The hallmark of the Jumbo’s triumph was the way it played its strong hand tactically. Sending riders up the road and calling them back when required to help the team’s leaders.
“We started the day and we wanted to have someone in the breakaway, when you tell that to Wout [Van Aert] then he goes!
“Christophe [Laporte] was ready to wait for him on top of the Télégraphe, Wout was ready to wait on top of the Galibier that part of the plan didn't work out, because Pogačar was just too strong. I think you saw the fight on the Galibier, it was a big fight, everybody there was on their limit.
“I think that was the key to the success of Jonas in the end, all those attacks, all that energy was spent and Jonas still had something left. He's at this moment, maybe on a long climb, the best climber.”
Plugge attributed the team performance to its overarching philosophy. “This is team Jumbo-Visma we want to race with a black and yellow heart. We race to win and we dare to do things. We try to do courageous things.”
Gli dico ehi Wout esce del liquido dalla ruota, lui mi fa certo cojone è tubeless. Chiede una pompa, gliela allunga un ragazzo inglese, che gli fa Wout sei una leggenda, lui: “ho qualcosa per te: toglimi la maglia verde, è tua” pic.twitter.com/KwHi2Vegp5July 13, 2022
He added that almost all the team’s staff had been positioned along the race route to hand out bottles to the riders in the searing summer heat.
While all this was happening Vingegaard’s daughter Frida was asleep, according to his partner Trine Hansen who could barely stop smiling at the finish. “She’s usually very happy when he comes on the TV and she says ‘more more!’”
But she would, Hansen said, be very happy to receive the cuddly lion the yellow jersey wearer is given at the end of each stage - part of French bank LCL’s long-running sponsorship of the jersey.
Jonas Vingegaard will hope that his stay in yellow is also long-running, while Pogačar's Tour changes remain buried in the Alps.
Thank you for reading 10 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
Having trained as a journalist at Cardiff University I spent eight years working as a business journalist covering everything from social care, to construction to the legal profession and riding my bike at the weekends and evenings. When a friend told me Cycling Weekly was looking for a news editor, I didn't give myself much chance of landing the role, but I did and joined the publication in 2016. Since then I've covered Tours de France, World Championships, hour records, spring classics and races in the Middle East. On top of that, since becoming features editor in 2017 I've also been lucky enough to get myself sent to ride my bike for magazine pieces in Portugal and across the UK. They've all been fun but I have an enduring passion for covering the national track championships. It might not be the most glamorous but it's got a real community feeling to it.
-
-
'They come to my country and kill kids': UCI's decision to allow Russian riders at World Championships draws passionate reaction
There has been a mixed response to the UCI's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian riders the opportunity to return to the international stage.
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
'I’m just bloody happy to win': Tao Geoghegan Hart delighted at ending long wait without a win
Ineos Grenadiers rider celebrates his first victory since the 2020 Giro d'Italia
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
In celebration of Peter Sagan, cycling's rock and roll frontman
As the three-time world champion is set to call time on his career in the WorldTour at the end of 2023, we thought we would take a look back at the glory days
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘You never know in the Tour’ - Romain Bardet fearless as he lines up Tour de France GC bid
The 32-year-old is ready to play the tactical game this July
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Wright on Fire: Fred Wright on his breakthrough year, almost winning, and Primož Roglič
The young Bahrain-Victorious rider is one of the hottest properties in the peloton. All he needs now is a victory.
By Adam Becket • Published
-
‘I just started screaming’: Uno-X team boss delighted with Tour de France wildcard invitation
Jens Haugland said his team will race in a "very positive and attacking" way this July
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
No win for Jonas Vingegaard? Cycling Weekly's bold predictions for the 2023 season
With under a fortnight until the WorldTour kicks off this year, it is time to take a look into our crystal ball
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Speed Demons of the peloton: The six best sprinters of 2022
We take a look at the standout performers of the fast men and women in the professional scene this year
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
From the World Championships to Paris-Roubaix: Cycling Weekly's wins of 2022
It is hard to look past Annemiek van Vleuten, but we tried, so here is the best win of the year, plus nine more
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'Once in a lifetime': Matej Mohorič on his stunning Milan-San Remo victory in 2022
The dropper post, the daredevil descending, and the Monument win
By Tom Thewlis • Published