The Visma-Lease a Bike squad proceed to coach at altitude within the French Alps, with a staff {photograph} sparking additional hypothesis that Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert will journey the 2024 Tour de France.
The Dutch staff has performed down stories that Vingegaard and Van Aert have totally recovered from their spring crashes, with staff supervisor Richard Plugge repeating that Vinegegaard would solely goal a 3rd consecutive Tour de France if ‘100% match’.
However all the pieces factors to each riders being on the beginning line in Florence on Saturday June 29.
Vingegaard, Van Aert plus teammates Matteo Jorgenson, Jan Tratnik, Christophe Laporte and Tiesj Benoot posed for {a photograph} after one other lengthy day of coaching within the Alps that included dust roads and 5,100 metres of vertical climbing.
The {photograph} seems to point out the core of the Visma-Lease a Bike staff for the Tour de France. The six are anticipated to be joined by the USA’s Sepp Kuss and Wilco Kelderman within the closing line-up.
Vingegaard suffered a punctured lung and different accidents within the Itzulia Basque Country crash in April however has since made a low-profile however regular restoration. He might not be at his absolute best however is predicted to journey the Tour. He is reportedly set to turn into a father for a second time later this 12 months and so the Vuelta a Espana shouldn’t be set to type a part of his plans.
Van Aert has made the Paris Olympic time trial and highway race a significant objective however after lacking the Giro d’Italia and the staff’s quite a few accidents, he’s additionally more likely to be a part of the Visma-Lease a Bike eight-rider Tour de France squad. He arrived at altitude on June 2, following a coaching schedule for the Tour de France reasonably than the Olympics.
The newest race content material, interviews, options, evaluations and skilled shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
Visma-Lease a Bike could solely identify their closing line-up subsequent week, simply earlier than travelling to Florence on Wednesday for the Grand Depart, as they proceed to play thoughts video games with main rival Tadej Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates.
Kuss stop the Critérium du Dauphiné earlier than the ultimate mountain stage after struggling in the course of the race, with Visma-Lease a Bike saying “With his preparation for the Tour de France in thoughts, it was determined to take the required relaxation.”
However the American is predicted to play a significant function within the mountains but once more, as will new signing Jorgenson after his second place total on the Dauphiné.
Kelderman fractured his collarbone at Paris-Nice and missed the Giro d’Italia however is predicted to switch Steven Kruijswijk, who crashed on the Dauphiné, fracturing his pelvis and collarbone. Dylan van Baarle additionally crashed out of the French stage race and is predicted to get replaced by Tratnik. Laporte solely rode every week of the Giro d’Italia however was a part of the 2022 and 2023 Tour profitable staff.
Tratnik completed the Giro and is predicted to maneuver to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe in 2025 however is taken into account a significant domestique.
The altitude camp and particularly the second and third weeks are very important checks for the riders. Van Aert will miss this week’s Belgian time trial championships and solely return dwelling for Sunday’s highway race.
“For me, it is fifty-fifty whether or not Jonas makes it to the Tour,” Vingegaard’s coach Tim Heemskerk informed Danish newspaper BT final week.
“He wanted to have the ability to comply with the programme if he was to have hopes of being prepared for the Tour,” Heemskerk stated. “The first week at altitude was adaptation and restoration, and now he is simply had a tricky week. And now there might be one other one.
“The vital factor might be how he reacts to it. Can he deal with it? Will he get drained? The coming week and the one after are important for the Tour. It’s additionally vital that he will get a sense of ‘Wow, I really feel an increasing number of prepared.’”