Vingegaard considered retirement last year, forced team to change calendar

Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard revealed that he contemplated retirement last year and consequently urged his team, Visma, to significantly change his preparation and race schedule for the Tour de France. The reigning Tour de France champion expressed that the conventional approach was no longer serving him well.

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We realized that it was not ideal to do the same things every year, it did not put me in the best mental situation.

"We realized that it was not ideal to do the same things every year, it did not put me in the best mental situation," Vingegaard told Danish television station TV2. "I told them that if things developed the same way, it would be without me." He added, "That's why we changed things. I think the team understood the situation, they realized that I was not happy last year and agreed to change the calendar."

Vingegaard, who is currently second in the Tour de France, trailing Tadej Pogacar by 2 minutes and 42 seconds, has often spoken about ending his career when he loses motivation. This past season, he experienced a severe crash in the Tour of the Basque Country, which impacted his preparation for a third consecutive Tour de France victory. Since the accident, he has struggled to match Pogacar's performance.

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I told them that if things developed the same way, it would be without me.

This season, Vingegaard has adopted a different strategy, limiting his race appearances and including the Giro d'Italia in his calendar, which he went on to win. He also secured victories in Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya, indicating a successful shift in his approach to the sport.

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That's why we changed things. I think the team understood the situation, they realized that I was not happy last year and agreed to change the calendar.