'It was a pretty good year' – Vingegaard reflects on this season and looks ahead to 2026
Jonas Vingegaard has been reflecting on what has been "a pretty good year" in a conversation with L'Équipe.
"Not the best I've ever had, because I think my 2023 season was better," Vingegaard said, referencing 2023 when he won his second-consecutive Tour de France, and finished second on an all-Visma-Lease-a-Bike podium behind Sepp Kuss. "My goal was to win the Tour, so from that perspective, I didn't quite accomplish my mission, but I did win the Vuelta. I'd say a 7 out of 10, maybe even an 8."
Vingegaard was also asked if he sees a scenario in which he might skip the Tour, something Pogačar too has been rumoured to consider, especially after his comments on the stress of the 2025 edition, despite another dominant victory.
"I think that for me — and perhaps for Tadej as well — the Tour is so big that the teams with a contender for victory want them to start there, even if we wouldn't want to," Vingegaard went on. "We don't have a definitive plan for next year yet, but the Tour will definitely be part of it. We'll see if the Giro will be there too."
The three-time Grand Tour stage winner has yet to make his debut at the Giro d'Italia, but besides going after the trilogy, Vingegaard is also interested in pursuing more one-day racing – he followed up the Vuelta with a rare appearance at the European Championships, but was unable to make an impact.
"Cycling isn't just about stage races," he said. "There are also major one-day races, even for climbers like me: Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the world championships this year or next (in Canada), and the Tour of Lombardy."
