Jonas Vingegaard admitted he was simply comfortable to be firstly of the Tour de France after his horrible Itzulia Basque Nation crash in early April that left him with a punctured lung and quite a few fractured ribs.
He described the crash, his accidents and his gradual restoration as “most likely the toughest second of my profession” as he opened up about his crash and the results for the primary time on the eve of the Tour de France in Florence.
The 2-time Tour de France winner stays the designated chief of the Visma-Lease a Bike workforce and is even quietly formidable however he’s additionally practical about his possibilities of successful a 3rd consecutive Tour de France.
“I am simply comfortable to be right here firstly line of the Tour de France. I feel that is a victory in itself. I am very comfortable and looking out ahead to the race now,” he mentioned, typically repeating his ideas as a defence mechanism to a sequence of questions on his bodily and psychological situation.
“I wish to go for the absolute best lead to GC. However to be sincere, it was a really, very unhealthy crash, so simply to be right here, I am very comfortable, and that is a victory in itself. Every thing from here’s a bonus.”
Vingegaard sat centre stage in the principle council corridor of Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio, occupying the seat often occupied by the town’s mayor. Wout Van Aert sat to his left and Matteo Jorgenson sat to his proper, already of their roles as protectors and trusted wingmen for the race in opposition to Tadej Pogačar, former teammate Primož Roglič, Remco Evenepoel and plenty of others.
Visma-Lease a Bike have misplaced Sepp Kuss resulting from COVID-19 however Jorgenson confirmed he’ll play a assist position, whereas Van Aert hopes to focus on stage victories and put together for the Paris Olympics.
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It was famous that Vingegaard didn’t say ‘victory’ when speaking about his Tour de France hopes. There’s a cause.
“To be sincere, I simply do not know,” he mentioned. “We would should struggle to hold on early within the race after which later within the race, we’ll discover our regular stage. We’ll discover out within the coming days.”
Vingegaard remoted himself from the media and biking world after his crash, spending two weeks in hospital after which additional time at dwelling as he started coaching outside. In June he joined his teammates within the French Alps for an altitude coaching camp but it surely was removed from the best Tour de France preparation.
“I did loads of work, loads of good work, and I am not in a foul form. However it was such a foul crash that all the things from here’s a bonus. After all, I’ve my hopes that it’s going to occur and we’ll see,” he mentioned.
“I needed to take a protracted break after my crash. I had loads of accidents that wanted to heal earlier than I used to be capable of prepare correctly. It is one factor when you can begin using outdoors, it is one other factor when you can begin to do correct coaching. It was principally about making it in time for the Tour de France.”
Vingegaard’s spouse and younger daughter once more performed an important position in serving to him return in time for the Tour. They joined him as he headed to the Thursday night workforce presentation and can stick with him on the race.
“They’ve been there for me, not solely within the final three months, however for on a regular basis, however particularly within the final three months, it has actually meant all the things for me. Now they’re right here with me as nicely,” he mentioned.
“I simply hope that each one the nice work we did collectively will repay. We’ll see within the coming three weeks.”
Vingegaard admitted that he needed to struggle the ache as he tried to mix his bodily restoration and coaching for the Tour.
“I feel in that state of affairs, you simply take into consideration combating again fairly than feeling sorry for your self. And that is what I did, and what me and my household have finished for the final three months, attempting all the things we may to prepare for this race,” he mentioned.
“It is a race which means rather a lot, not just for me however for the three of us. So I am comfortable that they’ve stood behind me and that I am right here now on the beginning line.
“After all, if I would not have crashed, I’d undoubtedly say I am right here for victory. However issues have modified. I nonetheless have the hope that I am ok to struggle for victory not less than. However I suppose we are going to see within the coming three weeks.”
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