Visma and its leader can breathe easier after learning the cause of their performance slumps in the last Tour de France.Visma had been mulling over the two slumps Jonas Vingegaard suffered in the last Tour de France for a month, which scuppered Tadej Pogacar’s victory. They couldn’t understand how their leader could have had the best performances of his life and, in the same race, suffer such collapses. After a great deal of analysis, they’ve found the key to these slumps.
![[Img #62988]](https://diariodeltriatlon.es/upload/images/08_2025/4465_vingegaard-1-min-2.jpg)
Vingegaard lost most of his time at the Tour de France in two days. His 4 minute, 24 second deficit to Tadej Pogacar was largely due to time losses in the Caen time trial (65 seconds) and the mountain stage to Hautacam (130 seconds). Vingegaard said he felt weak both days and couldn’t explain why.
At the press conference two days before the Vuelta, Vingegaard was asked again about those two bad days. This time, he finally had an answer: “We think we’ve solved it. But we’ll keep it a secret. Will I not have another bad day? It can always happen, although we hope not.”
Vingegaard appears relaxed ahead of the Vuelta, a race that many in the cycling world believe he can’t afford to lose in Pogacar’s absence. The Dane accepts being the favorite but isn’t putting pressure on himself: “I’m here to win the Vuelta, that’s clear. Only if I do that will this race be a success for the team. But of course: there are so many possible scenarios in a Grand Tour that I’m not going to win.”
“We have a good plan for this Vuelta a España.”
The Danish cyclist recalls that too many things happen in three weeks, often affecting performance: “At the Vuelta a España two years ago, for example, I got sick at the start of the race. Luckily, as the race progressed, I improved and reached my usual level by the end. Let’s hope I don’t get sick again like I did then, but one thing is certain: only victory counts.”
![[Img #62989]](https://diariodeltriatlon.es/upload/images/08_2025/3125_vingegaard-2-min-2.jpg)
Vingegaard will primarily have to contend with the two UAE Emirates XRG leaders to win the Vuelta. The Dane sees Juan Ayuso and João Almeida as his biggest rivals: “I also seriously considered Richard Carapaz before, but he won’t be taking part. So it’s mainly about the UAE. They have a very good team, but we have a good plan. What is that plan? Of course, we’re not going to tell them. I definitely have some stages in mind.”
After a grueling Tour de France, the Visma leader prepared thoroughly for the Spanish event to arrive prepared and refreshed: “I’ve done everything I had to do, and now we’ll see if I’m at 90, 95, or 100 percent. I’ve been in Annecy for the last two weeks, and it’s an environment I really enjoy. I’m really looking forward to the Vuelta. I always enjoy racing in Spain, and winning the Vuelta has always been one of the biggest goals of my career.”
