Jonas Vingegaard's depleted Tour de France team gets a much-needed boost ahead of Barcelona time trial
CyclingTuesday, 30 June 2026 at 11:10
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Follow us on GoogleEdoardo Affini will be able to start the Tour de France as scheduled on July 4, Visma | Lease a Bike confirmed on Tuesday morning. The Dutch team had been waiting for just under a week to see how Affini was doing physically after he crashed hard during the Italian time trial championship.
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Visma | Lease a Bike was left in shock when Affini went down just 6 kilometers into the Italian time trial on Thursday June 25. The veteran rider slammed into the guardrail and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.
No fractures were found, but a cut in his groin did require stitches. There were no other serious injuries, but since the crash occurred just a week and a half before the start of the Tour de France, the big question was whether Affini would recover in time.
The 30-year-old Italian had already sent a positive signal by hopping on his bike on Monday and uploading a training ride to Strava. The morning after that ride, Visma | Lease a Bike officially confirmed that Affini is cleared to travel to the Tour and is ready for the July 4 start in Barcelona.
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Affini to play a key role at Tour de France team time trial
It’s not surprising that Visma | Lease a Bike waited patiently for a decision regarding Affini. The Italian is a crucial player on the team for the Tour de France. “Edoardo is a big guy with a lot of power. He can practically carry a team leader in his back pocket,” said team manager Marc Reef.
Affini will be crucial for the team time trial on Day 1. Visma | Lease a Bike will be hoping that team leader Jonas Vingegaard can already make up some time in this discipline, and after the withdrawals of Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte, the question mark next to Affini’s name was perhaps one too many.
Van Aert will be replaced by Davide Piganzoli, while the young Per Strand Hagenes will take over from Laporte. This gives Visma | Lease a Bike a strong lineup on paper, featuring Vingegaard, Piganzoli, Hagenes, Affini, as well as Victor Campenaerts, Matteo Jorgenson, Sepp Kuss, and Bruno Armirail.
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
- Allez les jeunes! If they really go all-in on breakaways and stage hunting, they could snag a stage in weekForme, stratégie, et cohésion — c’est la clé pour eux.julien30-06-2026
- “Annoying enigma” quote is pretty harsh. Not sure the article gives enough balance or sourcing there. Sounds like dressing-room gossip dressed as reporting. Would’ve liked a comment from Madiot or Pinot to add context.lindae30-06-2026
- Madouas has been a rock in the last few Tours, especially in the mountains and as a classics engine. If his numbers are down since 2023, fair enough, but you don’t bin a road captain that quickly. This feels like a culture problem more than performance.bikebuffj30-06-2026
- Wait, I’m confused — why is Madouas being “dropped” for the 2026 Tour already when it’s 2024? Is that normal to decide two years ahead, or is this just the team pushing him out because his contract ends?gearguru3330-06-2026
- Proper messy times at Groupama-FDJ. Leaving Gaudu home for the Tour and all this salary chatter leaking right before July? That’s a grenade in the bus. Curious to see if the young guns like Martinez and Lenny M can actually ride aggressively without a protected GC leader.sprocketspiny30-06-2026
- - Esto está genial para EF. Carapaz por la montaña y Healy para las fugas: combinación brutal. Vamos!cadencekingm30-06-2026
- - Steinhauser third at Paris–Nice wasn’t a fluke. Engine for days. If EF stacks him with Asgreen in crosswinds, someone’s going to pay.lindae30-06-2026
- - Quick one: when they say “transition stages,” does that mean flat sprints or hilly ones? Not sure how those differ from regular stages.julien30-06-2026
- - Valgren back after that Giro yo‑yo is massive. Dane’s race craft in medium mountains is elite. EF’s depth here is better than folks think.bikebuffj30-06-2026
- - Slightly puzzled why the piece downplays GC entirely for Carapaz. If he lands a big mountain break and takes minutes, you can’t tell me they wouldn’t pivot. He finished behind Pog at Suisse but looked sharper than most.gearguru3330-06-2026
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