Tour de France-Team Visma: Jonas Vingegaard and his obsessive “killer bees”

At this Tour de France, Jonas Vingegaard’s team Visma has only one goal: to exhaust Tadej Pogačar. So far, the Slovenian holds it. But now this week the showdown on Hautacam threatens him, where he finally lost the tour against Jonas Vingegaard three years ago. “We have not yet been able to break him,” admitted Sepp Kuss at the end of the tenth stage. With the American ahead, Visma had done a lot on this day: two men sent to the escape group, one of whom, the British Simon Yates, was also winner.

Working for the right moment

In the favorite group, the yellow-black and titled “Killer-bees” had repeatedly caused Vingegaard helpers for powerful accelerations. So far without any result. “But we will continue to try every day. Because you never know when the moment came, when it collapses, ”kiss referred to Pogačar, the main rivals of his racing team. Everything else is subordinate to this goal. Minister like that of Giro winner Yates is happy to take with them as a by-catch. “Actually, I went to the group to be there for Jonas if something unusual happens in the final in the favorite group. But when it was clear that the distance was big enough, I was reoriented and was able to drive on my own account, «said Yates’s racing course and priorities.

One can almost speak of an obsession. Because on some days, Visma in the main field pressed the pace primarily to keep Pogačar in the yellow jersey. Not because they would particularly treat the rival. Rather, the background is that the Slovenian should lose additional energy through winning ceremony and press conferences.

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Remarkable burglary

After the ride through the central massif, the Irishman Ben Healey first redeemed the 26-year-old favorite and slipped out of the escape group into the yellow jersey. At the latest on Thursday evening, after the first trip through the Pyrenees, Tadej Pogačar is likely to be in yellow again. Or his rival Vingegaard? Because Hautacam marks one of the few burglaries in the career of the high -flyer from Slovenia. In 2022, the Dane took away more than a minute – and won the overall ranking of the tour. At that time he was accompanied by the Belgian classic specialist Wout van Aert.

This year the Berghelferskharge is even higher quality. Matteo Jorgenson is the second option for Visma in the classification anyway – only 20 seconds behind Vingegaard. Simon Yates also embodies its own class on the mountain. And then there is the former Vuelta winner kiss. He is particularly looking forward to the French-Spanish border mountains: »The mountains in the Pyrenees lie. We will continue to try to break Pogačar and his team there. “

Few helpers

The Slovenian and the Emirates team, on the other hand, have to do without the most important helper: João Almeida rose after a fall. The Portuguese is not only a formidable climber, but was also well placed in the overall ranking. “We now have to change our strategy. Instead of two tips, we only have one with Tadej. And there is more work to the other helpers, «said team boss Mauro Gianetti» ND «. For the opponents, especially Vingegaard and his team, this makes it easier to work. And the Dane has another advantage: it is as explosive as Pogačar this year. “That gives me confidence. I notice that the training was struck and I have improved, «he said.

Even if many details at the beginning of the second tour week now seem to speak for Vingegaard, even in total, they do not compensate for the advantage that Pogačar has on the result sheet: 77 seconds ahead of Vingegaard. Exactly this constellation now makes the stages appear more interesting in the Pyrenees than the situation a year ago. Vingegaard and Visma only have to find the right lever for breaking – and keep robustness.