Matteo Jorgenson has been tipped as a future Tour de France contender and potential winner, however this yr, his predominant position will probably be that of supporting teammate Jonas Vingegaard, say Visma-Lease a Bike administration.
Jorgenson’s potential standing as a GC contender had been the topic of a substantial amount of web hypothesis in the previous few weeks. That was accentuated after taking a shocking second place total within the Critérium du Dauphiné and dropping total winner Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) on the final summit end, coupled with Vingegaard on the comeback path from his Itzulia Basque Country crash.
However, in an interview to debate each the announcement Thursday that Vingegaard will probably be racing the Tour and different questions, Visma-Lease a Bike lead director sportif Merijn Zeeman performed down the American’s standing as a GC contender.
Zeeman additionally emphasised Jorgenson’s position as a help employee, which he stated Jorgenson absolutely agreed with. That stated, he additionally added that for the primary time in a Grand Tour, Jorgenson could be “not shedding time on GC on objective” and that “tactically, we will probably be utilizing our numbers.”
At the identical time, Zeeman confirmed that Sepp Kuss – who give up the Dauphiné in poor health and whose season has been a quiet one thus far – could be racing as a key staff employee within the Tour de France, together with his predominant GC focus defending his title within the Vuelta a España this August.
Zeeman additionally added that Kuss wouldn’t be the one GC choice for Visma in Spain within the autumn however didn’t specify who may be using for the general there as effectively.
“I actually imagine that Matteo Jorgenson will probably be an excellent rider sooner or later, he may have an opportunity to win the Tour de France in his profession as effectively however he’s nonetheless growing,” Zeeman informed a small group of reporters on Thursday.
“He has had a unbelievable season. But tactically, in fact, we’ll use our numbers as effectively. That’s very clear. But additionally, the truth is that Jonas is, at this second, our rider that may win the Tour de France.”
Such was the depth of media hypothesis earlier this week that Vingegaard may change into a employee for Jorgenson that the American playfully dismissed the thought himself, reacting to the thought when mentioned in a discussion board chat on main biking web site Wielerflits with the dry remark (and several other laughing emojis) “Y’all are unhinged. Wtf.”
As for Kuss, Zeeman stated, “Sepp might be primarily a helper for Jonas within the Tour, and he will probably be one of many GC leaders in” – as he jokingly described the Vuelta – “that race in Spain.”
Regarding Jorgenson, who has had a breakthrough first half of the yr with wins total in Paris-Nice and within the one-day Dwars door Vlaanderen, Zeeman defined that “If we analyse the WorldTour season, Matteo is among the many finest riders on this planet.”
“He’s had a exceptional development and is a unbelievable rider to have within the staff, unimaginable to work with, an actual chief and he actually makes our staff stronger.
“This can also be for him the primary time he’ll go to a Grand Tour and he won’t lose time on objective, in order that will probably be his position.
“Tactically, it may well occur that he’ll play a task, and by that, he’s serving to the staff. And you by no means know what is occurring within the Tour de France.
“But Matteo himself could be very clear that he’s going to the Tour to assist Jonas. The intention is that he needs to assist the staff, and he’ll assist the staff by supporting Jonas in addition to potential.”
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