Axel May, edited by Ophélie Artaud
The 25-year-old Dane, still unknown to the general public a few months ago, is about to win the 2022 edition of the Grande Boucle. Jonas Vingegaard should win this Sunday afternoon from his second participation. Back on his journey and on his Tour, where he managed to bring down the double title holder, Tadej Pogacar.
Jonas Vingegaard is about to become champion. He was still unknown to the general public a few months ago. The Dane should win in his second participation and bring down the double title holder, Tadej Pogacar.
While fallen champion Tadej Pogacar stood out in the youth categories, Jonas Vigegaard grew up in anonymity. When he was ten years old, the Tour of Denmark passed near his home. Young Jonas says he loved getting on a bike. “I grew up late and it took me a long time to get good results,” he explained to Vélo Magazine a few weeks ago. Smaller, more skinny than the others.
“It took me a long time to get good results”
After starting out in a modest team where he worked every morning in a fish market, he was recruited almost by chance by the powerful Jumbo-Visma formation, which initially had spotted another Danish rider. Fate also worked in his favor last year. Narrowly selected for the Tour, he was to serve as a teammate for Primoz Roglic. His abandonment propels him to the leader. He finished second and he was the only one to worry Pogacar during the Ventoux stage.
This year, the failure of the Slovenian in the Alps allowed him to take the yellow jersey which he never let go of, even driving the point home in the Pyrenees. Here he is, at 25, about to win the Tour and be welcomed home as a hero. But because the bike has a liability, history remembers the Danish champions Bjarne Riis and Michael Rasmussen who, after their exploits, admitted to having doped.