Vingegaard borrows teammate's bike after Tour de France crash
Translated from Danish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Jonas Vingegaard crashed during the final kilometers of the Tour de France's 5th stage, requiring him to use a teammate's bicycle.
- Team officials confirmed Vingegaard appeared unharmed and finished the stage with the same time as his rivals.
- The team's strategy of staying further back in the peloton aims to improve safety and conserve energy, despite the increased risk of being caught in crashes.
Jonas Vingegaard, a Danish contender in the Tour de France, was caught in a crash near the end of the 5th stage. He was forced to complete the final kilometers riding a bicycle belonging to his teammate, Victor Campenaerts.
We heard that Jonas was involved in the crash in one way or another and had to borrow Victor's bike. The boys were with him and worked hard for him, and it looks like he will get the same time as the others.
Despite the incident, Vingegaard did not appear to be injured and proceeded directly to the team hotel after crossing the finish line. Team officials indicated that he would receive the same stage time as the other riders. The crash occurred at a sharp corner with a sidewalk, a point the team had anticipated.
We knew it was a sharp corner with a sidewalk on the side. We handled the finale well, everyone was together, but when there are crashes, it's always a bit hectic.
Visma-Lease a Bike's sports director, Marc Reef, explained the team's strategy of staying further back in the peloton. This approach aims to avoid the chaos of sprint finishes and conserve energy, though it increases the risk of being caught behind crashes. Reef expressed satisfaction with this strategy, noting its success in other races this season.
It's about making it safer and saving a bit of energy. It's easier to stay together, and it has gone well all the other times we have done it that way this season.
According to the Tour de France's official website, Vingegaard avoided losing any time to his general classification rivals. The upcoming 6th stage will feature the first major mountain challenge in the Pyrenees, with climbs like the Col d'Aspin and Col du Tourmalet, promising a potentially intense battle.
We are entering the Col d'Aspin and Col du Tourmalet, and anything can happen. It can be a wild fight, but it can also end up being a bit controlled, and we are ready for anything.
Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.