As his season comes to a close, Jonas Vingegaard is already planning for the 2026 season. Next year, his goals are once again ambitious. The Dane is hoping to go for dubs at both the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France.
“I have my wishes, but we also need to look at it as a team. What our goals will be for next season,” Vingegaard said to Danish TV. He added that the Tour de France will continue to be a major target for him. However, that will depend if he thinks he can win it. The past few years Tadej Pogačar has won the race, with Vingegaard finishing second.
Vingegaard also looked back on his 2025 season. Although he didn’t win the Tour he was happy to win the Vuelta a España. He described his year as “not the best I’ve had, but not the worst either.”
On Sunday, Vingegaard competed in his first one-day race in some time, the European Championships. He wasn’t sure how he’d fare as he’d been off the bike for two weeks.
“I had to take more time off the bike than I had hoped. It took two weeks before I had the ability to train again. Not because I didn’t want to, it was because I couldn’t,” he told TV2.
“I think I was already struggling on the first climb. From there, I thought things might get better. They did. But when they attacked, it became too much for me. I had secretly hoped to be able to go with them. But unfortunately, that wasn’t possible,” Vingegaard said. He also added he was happy that he was able to compete for the national team again.
“No, I don’t regret it. I’m quite glad I got to ride in the Danish colours. I’m really proud of that.”
Spectators harass Pogačar during European continental champs solo win
There were hopes at one point that he would race at the 2025 UCI road worlds in Rwanda, but he ultimately changed his mind. The multiple Grand Tour winner has never competed at the elite worlds–only the under-23 edition.
Vingegaard said he had hoped it would go better, but that’s just how it is, and he thinks he will once again be a factor in one-day races next year.
“I actually think that if I prepare well, I can also compete for victory in these races.”
His arch-rival, Pogačar, would go on to take another incredible victory, pulling off a massive solo breakaway. Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel gave chase but ultimately couldn’t track down the Slovenian.