Jonas Vingegaard’s Radical Equipment Change Sparks Controversy and Could Reshape the 2025 Tour de France

In a move that sent shockwaves through the cycling world, Jonas Vingegaard has made the astonishing decision to ditch his 12.5mm crankset — a core component of his finely tuned race machine — amid swirling rumors of internal pressure from his team, Visma–Lease a Bike. The Danish superstar, a two-time Tour de France winner, has never been one to make rash changes. But this sudden switch, coming just weeks before the final stages of the 2025 Tour, has set tongues wagging across both the paddock and the peloton.

The crankset — often overlooked by casual fans — is a deeply personal choice for every rider, dictating not just power output but the rhythm, feel, and flow of a cyclist’s stroke. Vingegaard’s long-standing preference for the 12.5mm configuration had become almost iconic, a symbol of his precision and discipline on the climbs. So when rumors began to surface that he had not only adjusted his setup, but completely removed the crankset in favor of a more experimental alternative, the buzz was immediate — and intense.

Sources close to the Visma team hint that the decision wasn’t entirely Vingegaard’s. Insiders suggest that a rift may be forming behind closed doors between the rider and the technical staff, particularly with the new performance director brought in earlier this season. The move is being framed publicly as part of a broader tactical overhaul to adapt to the increasingly aggressive tempo being set by UAE Team Emirates and Remco Evenepoel’s Soudal-QuickStep. But others aren’t buying that story.

“Something doesn’t smell right,” commented a former teammate under the condition of anonymity. “Jonas doesn’t change equipment mid-race unless he’s forced to. He’s incredibly calculated — for him to make a move like this, something must be happening behind the scenes.”

Indeed, the shift comes after a series of underwhelming performances in the mountain stages — something almost unthinkable for a rider of Vingegaard’s caliber. Observers noted a noticeable drop in cadence efficiency and even a slight imbalance in his pedaling motion during Stage 15, leading to speculation that mechanical issues may have been plaguing him for longer than previously thought. The crankset swap, while radical, could be an attempt to regain lost form in a desperate bid to salvage his Tour hopes.

What makes the story even more dramatic is the context of Vingegaard’s long road to recovery following his horror crash earlier this year. After months of speculation over whether he would even compete at the Tour, his return was seen as a triumphant comeback. Now, with his team’s inner workings under scrutiny and every equipment choice dissected by analysts, that narrative is taking a dark and unpredictable turn.

The ripple effects of this decision are already being felt. Rival teams are reportedly scrambling to interpret Visma’s new strategy. Some suggest it’s a psychological ploy to throw off competitors, while others believe it’s simply desperation disguised as innovation. Either way, it has reignited debates over how much influence teams should exert over individual riders, especially in a sport where personal feel can often outweigh raw data.

Whether this bold equipment transformation will prove to be a masterstroke or a misstep remains to be seen. What’s clear is that Jonas Vingegaard has once again become the epicenter of Tour de France drama. With key mountain stages ahead and the yellow jersey still within reach, all eyes are on the Danish dynamo — and his bike.