Due to a serious crash, Vingegaard thought about his future as a professional: ‘Cycling is not everything’

Cyclist Jonas Vingegaard was in hospital for twelve days in April after a serious crash in the Tour of the Basque Country, including eight days in intensive care. That crash made the Danish leader of Visma-Lease a Bike think about his future as a professional cyclist, he said during a press meeting on Thursday.

It was a shock for his team, the cycling fans and especially for the Dane himself. The two-time Tour winner lay almost motionless on the ground for several minutes before he was taken to the ambulance on a stretcher. In the fourth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country he eventually suffered a broken collarbone and several rib fractures.

“I really started thinking after that crash,” says the Dane. “It is quite normal for me to think about what the consequences of this fall could have been and whether everything is still worth being a professional cyclist. But I still cycle, so I think you already have your answer there.”

The climber from Visma-Lease a Bike says that he is now completely back on track and that that period has certainly taught him something. “Cycling is not the whole of life. Of course I already knew that, but if you have experienced such a crash and know that it could be over with your career, then you start thinking about it even more.”

After the crash in the Basque Country, Vingegaard spent twelve days in hospital, eight of which were in intensive care. “During those days I only got out of bed once. During that time I lost a lot of fitness and muscle mass. It took a very long time before I could train normally again, because I was still in a lot of pain.”

But three months after the accident, the Dane finished second in the Tour de France. Something he still doesn’t understand himself. “It was mid-May before I could train normally again. I was at a high level in the Tour, but I now know that you have to be 100 percent if you want to compete for victory. It was a miracle that I the start, but also certain that I came second.”

Next year the leader of the Dutch team will be back at the start in France. Cycling fans can therefore look forward to a new battle with Tadej Pogacar. “I have already shown that I can beat him. But I also saw how he rode this year. Regardless, I still have to take steps to have a chance to beat him.”

Maybe he can take those steps in the Giro d’Italia. It is suggested that Vingegaard could also be at the start there. He doesn’t want to say much about that himself. “The plan for next year has not yet been completely determined.”