Visma | Lease a Bike assesses Tour de France position after nine stages
CyclingSunday, 12 July 2026 at 19:28
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Follow us on GoogleVisma | Lease a Bike has safely reached the first rest day of the Tour de France. The Dutch team claimed the yellow jersey with Jonas Vingegaard on the opening day of the race, but the Dane now trails Tadej Pogačar by almost three minutes in the general classification.
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Marc Reef, a race coach with the team, reviewed Visma | Lease a Bike’s opening nine stages on the team’s official website. “Although we have had a tough first week with the weather conditions, we can look back on this first block positively. After the rest day, we will continue with confidence.”
Read more below the photo!
Reef reflects on Stage 9 of the Tour de France
Stage 9 initially appeared likely to suit the breakaway riders, but ultimately everyone was forced to work hard. “Jonas came through today’s stage well. Despite the tough race and the hot conditions, he still looked quite fresh. The same applied to the other riders,” Reef said.
“The pace was high from start to finish. UAE Team Emirates kept control for a long time after the breakaway had gone clear. We were always there with Jonas, who was well protected by his teammates,” Reef concluded.
Vingegaard will immediately face another important test after the rest day, with the next stage finishing at Le Lioran. The Visma | Lease a Bike leader won there two years ago, defeating Pogačar in the sprint.
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- No teammates on the Tourmalet. Too fast up the Tourmalet.
merganzer10-07-2026 - Reef is whistling past the graveyard by denying what was plain to see: Tadej crushed Jonas, beating him in the ascent and, even more decisively on the descent, where most of the gap was created. In the world of reality, rather than the fantsay that Reef related, Jonas will not become a better descender between now and Paris, and Tadej won't get less adept at the skill. Moreover, it wasn't only about the mano y mono, between the two Tour leaders, but the unraveling of Visma, and the dominance of UAE, especially IDT. Barring injury or some other anomalous occurrence, we'll look back at Tadej's win on stage six as the day he won the 2026 TDF.rjb10-07-2026
- Remco continues alternating between Dr. Jekyl and, as he did today post-race, Mr. Hyde, lashing out as others for not racing according to his preferences. This isn't the first time he's complained about opponents' tactics, but it's the first time I've heard him do it to a teammate, and that lack of discretion and team loyalty may come back to haunt him. I though he'd outgrown these childish pouts; obviously, I was mistaken.rjb10-07-2026
- - How many times has Pog actually worn yellow now? The article hints he’s lost count—anyone got the exact stat?robert6506-07-2026
- - Unreal start to the Tour: two punches in three days. If he’s taking yellow this early, the real game is load management before the first true summit finish.davidm06-07-2026
- - Grandissimo Tadej! Maillot jaune meritato, squadra perfetta oggi.sprocketspiny06-07-2026
- - Not sure I buy the “nothing really tough” description. 3,850m of climbing in that heat is brutal, even if the gradients aren’t HC. Felt a bit dismissive.cadencekingm06-07-2026
- - Pogacar’s humour about the gels was gold. Also, nice to see him credit Del Toro. That Barcelona gesture coming back today was a proper team arc.michael5406-07-2026
- - Quick question: when they say “break got a free pass” by Visma, does that mean Visma just stopped chasing completely? Or is it more like they eased but still controlled the gap?velodromevirtuoso106-07-2026
- - Sorry, but the piece glosses over how Vermeersch shredded the gap. That was the hinge of the stage. Give him more credit than a single line.raceready706-07-2026
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