Jonas Vingegaard admitted he was simply completely satisfied to be at the beginning of the Tour de France after his horrible Itzulia Basque Country 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 “in all probability 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 two-time Tour de France winner stays the designated chief of the Visma-Lease a Bike group and is even quietly formidable however he’s additionally lifelike about his possibilities of profitable a 3rd consecutive Tour de France.
“I’m simply completely satisfied to be right here at the beginning line of the Tour de France. I believe that is a victory in itself. I’m very completely satisfied and searching ahead to the race now,” he stated, usually 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. But to be sincere, it was a really, very dangerous crash, so simply to be right here, I’m very completely satisfied, and that is a victory in itself. Everything from here’s a bonus.”
Vingegaard sat centre stage in the primary council corridor of Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio, occupying the seat normally occupied by 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 lots of others.
Visma-Lease a Bike have misplaced Sepp Kuss because of COVID-19 however Jorgenson confirmed he’ll play a assist function, 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 is a motive.
“To be sincere, I simply do not know,” he stated.
“We may need to combat to hold on early within the race after which later within the race, we’ll discover our regular degree. 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 open air. 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 a variety of work, a variety of good work, and I’m not in a foul form. But it was such a foul crash that every thing from here’s a bonus. Of course, I’ve my hopes that it’s going to occur and we’ll see,” he stated.
“I needed to take a protracted break after my crash. I had a variety of accidents that wanted to heal earlier than I used to be capable of prepare correctly. It’s one factor when you can begin using outdoors, it is one other factor when you can begin to do correct coaching. It was largely about making it in time for the Tour de France.”
Vingegaard’s spouse and younger daughter once more performed a significant function in serving to him return in time for the Tour. They joined him as he headed to the Thursday night group presentation and can stick with him on the race.
“They have 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 every thing for me. Now they’re right here with me as nicely,” he stated.
“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 combat the ache as he tried to mix his bodily restoration and coaching for the Tour.
“I believe in that scenario, you simply take into consideration preventing again somewhat than feeling sorry for your self. And that is what I did, and what me and my household have achieved for the final three months, making an attempt every thing we might to prepare for this race,” he stated.
“It’s a race which means loads, not just for me however for the three of us. So I’m completely satisfied that they’ve stood behind me and that I’m right here now on the beginning line.
“Of course, if I would not have crashed, I’d positively say I’m right here for victory. But issues have modified. I nonetheless have the hope that I’m adequate to combat for victory at the least. But I suppose we’ll see within the coming three weeks.”