Jonas Vingegaard's tears can be traced back to a horrific moment in 2024: 'He really thought he was going to die'
CyclingSaturday, 04 July 2026 at 22:14
Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleMathieu Heijboer, Head of Performance and Jonas Vingegaard’s coach at Visma | Lease a Bike, is usually the picture of calm. But after winning the team time trial on Day 1 of the Tour de France, we even caught him in tears. A little later, at the press conference, they also Vingegaard himself looked a little emotional.
ADVERTISEMENT
"So much is coming together," said Heijboer. “There’s so much excitement, of course, leading up to this event. And I have to admit that I counted us among the favorites. But we certainly not a top favorite. Because we had a very risky tactic. We actually only let Jonas ride in the lead for one kilometer. It’s amazing that it worked out.”
"Relief" is the right word. “You mustn’t forget that he really thought he was going to die at that moment,” says Heijboer, referring to Vingegaard’s serious crash in the Tour of the Basque Country in 2024. “And he really did suffer a very serious injury.”
"He only started to feel like he was really back again this year. He deserves it, and I'm so happy for him. "I think it really is a kind of closure for him on that chapter—even more so than the Giro," said Heijboer, who saw his sentiments confirmed by the team leader.
Jonas Vingegaard's Tour de France press conference after stage 1
Jonas, back in December, the team management had already announced this particular stage as a major goal for this season. Why does this discipline mean so much to both you and Team Visma | Lease a Bike?
"Well, because I think it's a very special discipline in cycling. It's something where you can obviously make up some time, but now we're also finishing with the yellow jersey. I think that's a dream for everyone in cycling. Being able to wear this jersey is truly very special. I’m going to enjoy every moment I ride in it.”
Does winning a team time trial create a different atmosphere and feeling within the team compared to a regular stage victory?
"I definitely think so. At least, that's how I feel right now. We've had a fantastic start to this Tour de France. The guys are going to really enjoy this tonight—I'm going to enjoy it, and the whole team is going to enjoy it. This gives us a lot of motivation to keep going like this in this Tour."
We just spoke with Mathieu Heijboer at the team bus. He said that this yellow jersey might mark the end of the period following your serious crash in the Tour of the Basque Country, and he even got a little emotional about it. Do you feel the same way—that this is a moment of closure after that crash? And does that mean this yellow jersey might actually mean more to you than your previous yellow jerseys?
"Yes, that's actually how I'd describe it. It's been a tough few years for me, for obvious reasons. I've had a pretty hard time lately. And the fact that I can now close this chapter in the book—if you can call it that—feels really good."
Of course, it will always be a part of my story—that I was lying there on the ground, thinking I was going to die. To have come back from that low point is, yes, quite emotional for me, too. To be honest, when you’re lying there on the ground, cycling isn’t even on your mind. All I could think about at that moment was surviving. So the fact that I get to wear the yellow jersey again is truly a dream come true.'
Read more below the photo!
Jonas Vingegaard looks radiant in the yellow jersey.
Now that you’ve secured the jersey so early in the race, will this affect your strategy for the coming days? Will it be a matter of defending the jersey, minimizing losses, and staying as close as possible to Tadej Pogacar?
"I think the next few days are going to be really tough stages anyway. So yeah, from now on, it's just going to be a daily battle to get the most out of it, to be honest."
Did you expect to be this good?
"As I said earlier, I actually did pretty well in the Giro. I wasn't worn out by then; in fact, I was in really good shape at the end of the Giro. You can carry that momentum forward at a very high level. So, of course, I was confident that I’d be able to perform at a high level here and that I could at least compete for the wins.”
Read also
Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
IDL-productions
2026 Tour de France stage 2 favourites | Pogačar out for revenge on this punchy stage to Barcelona
Lance Armstrong weighs into the Evenepoel vs Lipowitz Tour de France debate: 'The road decided'
Bizarrely, Egan Bernal is wearing the first green jersey of the 2206 Tour de France. Here's why
How well do you know the history of the Tour de France? Test yourself before the 2026 Grand Départ
Are you a secret Tour de France winning DS? Enter the IDL Pro Cycling Fantasy league and find out!
Latest Cycling News
2026 Tour de France Standings | Immediate changes in the General Classification after the Team Time Trial
2026 Tour de France stage 2 favourites | Pogačar out for revenge on this punchy stage to Barcelona
'Thanks for your concern': Pogačar gives an update on partner Zigart after Swiss crash
Vingegaard and Visma | Lease a Bike deal Pogacar first blow with victory in Tour de France team time trial
Visma surprised the Tour de France peloton with a tactical masterstroke on Stage 1, not for the 1st time
Popular Cycling News
Vingegaard and Visma | Lease a Bike deal Pogacar first blow with victory in Tour de France team time trial
2026 Tour de France stage 1 team time trial favourites | Cycling's very own World Cup kicks off in Barcelona
4 kilos lighter but just as sharp-tongued: Remco Evenepoel kicks off the Tour de France with a bang
There's another way to watch the Tour de France for free on UK TV, thanks to Welsh broadcasters
Fantasy cycling players listen up! Here are our 10 fantasy tips for the 2026 Tour de France
Latest Comments
- - Qué locura lo del platoRemco está muy fuerte, pero ojo con Pogačar guardando fuerzas. Esto se va a poner buenísimo.jeremya05-07-2026
- - Not sure I buy the “Vingegaard boost” narrative after stageHe’s barely raced post-injury and suddenly we’re talking momentum from an opening TTT? Feels a tad premature, lads. Let’s see him on a proper climb before crowning anything.patriciaw05-07-2026
- - Wiggins’ take on Pogacar sandbagging the jersey early makes total sense. Why take yellow on day one and burn your squad on wind and protocol when you can sit second or third and keep UAE fresh? Classic GC brains.velodromevirtuoso105-07-2026
- - I’m a bit confused about the 68-tooth chainring bit — is that actually practical on a technical TTT course? Wouldn’t cadence bog down in corners or is he just staying aero and pushing monster torque with a 10t?tourdeforce905-07-2026
- - Loved the insight on Remco’s TTT pulls. Starting the train, never missing a turn, then riding Lipowitz off the wheel later — that’s leader energy. RB–Bora might have a headache on their hands if “let the road decide” keeps pointing to Remco.andrewf05-07-2026
- - Pedersen y Philipsen van a devorar los sprints, pero este verde de Bernal es un premio al trabajo del equipo. Grande INEOS hoy.bikebuffj04-07-2026
- - Small correction: you wrote “worn (won) yellow” — he’s worn yellow after winning the Tour in 2019, right? Either way, neat bit of history seeing him tick another jersey, even briefly. Curious if they’ll try to defend it into stage 2 or leave it to the sprinters.davidm04-07-2026
- - Gutted for Ganna after that Vauquelin puncture took the edge off their run. Still, Egan first across the split was smart heads-up riding. Visma clinical as ever, Vingegaard straight into jaune… ominous.julien04-07-2026
- - Wait, how does he get green from a time trial? Thought green was only for sprinters at the finish. Do intermediate checkpoints always give the same points as road stages?robert6504-07-2026
- - Love seeing Bernal in green, even if it’s a cameo. That Barcelona TTT was wild, proper technical. Credit to INEOS for drilling it early.pedalpowe2904-07-2026
Loading
