Vingegaard ready for Paris–Nice — but may consider the same measures as Pogačar

Vingegaard’s crash happened in late January in Spain. According to the story, a local rider latched onto the Dane’s wheel. On a descent, Vingegaard then took a little more risk than usual in order to shake the unwanted follower. He managed to do that — but in the process he entered a corner too fast and ended up in the barrier.

The 2022 and 2023 Tour de France winner did not suffer any serious injuries. In fact, he was back on the bike the very next day. Still, the incident underlined what Vingegaard sees as a growing trend in 2026: professional riders being followed during training by amateurs. Rival Tadej Pogačar has even chosen to ride with security behind him for that very reason.

“The guy explained it well on Strava: he followed me and that’s why I went too fast into a corner. I shouldn’t have done that, because I crashed,” Vingegaard said about the January incident. “Maybe he knew who I am, but we don’t know each other. For me, someone riding my wheel crosses a line. I don’t just follow someone on the street who’s out for a walk, do I?”

Vingegaard says episodes like that are making him think more seriously about taking precautions. “People will say it isn’t necessary, but if someone is on my wheel, I have to take them into account. If I suddenly have to brake, I risk someone running into me from behind. I can’t even blow my nose — you’re constantly aware of someone else. That’s why I train alone, because I want to train alone.”

“Right after the crash, I did have thoughts. Will it get worse? Do I need to bring a personal bodyguard so people can’t come near me anymore? Maybe that would make things even worse, but we have to look after ourselves. People following us is right on the edge, so we need to do something about it.”

“It’s fine if people come up to me for a photo, as long as they then let us do the training we need to do. In the end, we’re professionals,” Vingegaard added. Despite the setbacks, he says he is ready for Paris–Nice, which starts on Sunday and runs for eight days. “I’m here to win — otherwise I wouldn’t start. That’s my ambition for every race I begin.”

Speaking to Sporza, Vingegaard again sounded confident. “I’ve had a good winter and I’ve worked hard. The others have already raced, so they’ll have a better idea of where they stand. Getting ill changed my plans a bit, but it wasn’t a huge setback. I’m ready to race.”