Critical, hopeful and even funny: Jonas Vingegaard had plenty to say after the Paris-Nice finale

On paper, stage 6 looked tailor-made for the breakaway, and that is exactly how it played out, with a fierce battle to make the move of the day. Once the break had gone clear and Cofidis had missed it, the French team was forced to spend a long time chasing. When that effort finally came to an end, Lidl-Trek lifted the pace again with an attack and then a hard tempo in the bunch.

“Ultimately, it wasn’t an easy day,” Vingegaard said with typical understatement in the organisers’ flash interview. “The pace was pretty high all day, but we got through it. Did I think about the stage win? Not really, no. I’m not a big fan of a finish after a descent. It was quite dangerous, so I just wanted to get to the line safely.”

That also had to do with Visma | Lease a Bike seeing an opportunity to sprint for victory with Axel Zingle in the finale. “That’s why we wanted to bring the break back, but also get Axel over the top,” Vingegaard explained in the mixed zone. “We couldn’t go too hard, but Bahrain Victorious eventually attacked, so I had to follow them.”

Vingegaard crossed the line safely in the first group. “My form is pretty good, although it’s not my very best level yet. Hopefully I can get there for the Giro and the Tour. But first let’s get through the final two stages and the Volta a Catalunya, and then there will still be some more training after that.”

Paris-Nice still has two stages to go, although Saturday’s stage could yet be significantly shortened and/or altered. Vingegaard already knew at the finish that brutal weather was expected. “It depends on tomorrow and what exactly we can do. Right now they say there will be a lot of snow, so it will be interesting to see how it all plays out,” the Dane said in the flash interview.

He expanded on that a little further when speaking to the other media. “Luckily I’ve got my long trousers with me, haha! I hope we’re not going all the way to the finish, because that wouldn’t be any fun, even with those on. Maybe I’ll use them again, but let’s trust that ASO will take the riders’ safety into account. I’m counting on there being a Plan B.”

Because above all, Vingegaard wants to carry the yellow jersey safely to the finish of the race on Sunday. “I enjoy every day in yellow, and really every moment in a leader’s jersey. We are one day closer to Nice.”