Jonas Vingegaard experiences substantial setbacks in the time trial stage of the Tour de France, leaving him without an obvious reason for the poor performance.
Visma-Lease a Bike Adjusts Strategy After Tour de France Setbacks
In the ongoing Tour de France, Visma-Lease a Bike has shifted its approach following the challenging performance in stage five. The team, aiming to respond to Tadej Pogacar's early advantage, found Jonas Vingegaard struggling in the Normandy heat, resulting in a time loss of over a minute to the race leader.
Vingegaard, who started the race impressively, matching Pogacar's accelerations on the steep finishing circuit on stage four, appeared uncomfortable on his saddle for much of his effort during the time trial. Frequent adjustments were made to maintain an aerodynamic position.
Grischa Niermann, the team's director sportif, stated that there were no problems before the time trial, but Vingegaard was unable to communicate during the race. According to the team, the time loss was primarily due to a lack of power compared to both Remco Evenepoel and Pogacar.
Niermann does not use the wind conditions as an explanation for the performance of both Vingegaard and Matteo Jorgenson in the time trial. Jorgenson, nine seconds further back on the General Classification (GC), acknowledged that the wind conditions were the same for all riders during the time trial, and no excuses were made for his performance.
Remco Evenepoel, the favourite for the time trial, won stage five, while Pogacar donned the yellow jersey. Jorgenson, another rider from Visma-Lease a Bike, expressed hope for better times in the time trial.
In response to these setbacks, Visma-Lease a Bike has revised its strategy. The team is now focusing on realistic aims, collective team strength, and measured, strong performances rather than aggressive all-out attacking that previously backfired.
The key points of the revised strategy include:
- Accepting setbacks realistically: After time losses and injuries, the team acknowledges that some ambitions, like winning team time trials, are less realistic now but remains confident in their collective strength and goal to keep Vingegaard in a strong position overall.
- Focusing on controlled, steady performance rather than continuous attacking: The previous aggressive tactics that led to exhaustion did not yield the desired results against Pogacar. The team is analyzing what went wrong and looks to optimize pacing and teamwork rather than wearing themselves out in non-stop attacks.
- Prioritizing overall leadership and solidarity: Vingegaard and his performance remain central, with the team aiming to support him as leader in the general classification rather than chasing risky stage wins.
- Using setbacks as learning opportunities: The team is taking a calm and analytical approach to improve tactics for the remaining stages.
This strategy adjustment reflects both their current situation in the Tour and broader goals for team development. The team hopes to learn from the race's developments, rather than pursuing unrealistic stage wins or continuous attacks that deplete rider energy.
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