Jonas Vingegaard is reportedly considering taking on both the Giro dโItalia and Tour de France in 2025, a decision that would mark a significant change in his racing schedule. According to Het Laatste Nieuws and La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Danish rider has expressed internal interest in tackling the Giro for the first time, potentially seeking to emulate Tadej Pogaฤarโs 2024 double victory.
La Gazzetta reported that Vingegaard โwould like to make his Giro debut and the team are seriously considering the idea,โ while Het Laatste Nieuws suggested that the Danish rider has โindicated internallyโ that the Giro is part of his ambitions. However, there has been no official comment from RCS Sport, the organisers of the Giro, and Visma-Lease a Bike has been quick to dismiss any firm plans for the upcoming season.
Speaking to Ekstra Bladet, team communications manager Sander Kleikers was surprised by the rumours, saying, “I really donโt know where it comes from. It certainly does not come from our team. We havenโt even started the evaluation of this season. I donโt know where it comes from. It is very surprising.”
The rumours come after a challenging 2024 season for Vingegaard, which saw him sidelined for much of the spring following a crash at the Itzulia Basque Country. The incident left him with a broken collarbone, broken ribs, and a punctured lung. Despite these setbacks, he returned to compete in the Tour de France but finished six minutes behind Pogaฤar, admitting afterwards that he was both physically and mentally drained.
As it stands, any decision regarding Vingegaardโs participation in the 2025 Giro-Tour double would likely depend on the race profiles of both the Italian and French Grand Tours. RCS Sport, which reduced the amount of climbing in the 2024 Giro to suit Pogaฤarโs schedule, could take a similar approach to lure Vingegaard into participating.
While Vingegaard has completed the Tour four times, winning twice and finishing second twice, he has never taken on the Giro dโItalia. However, if the offer is right, the temptation to challenge Pogaฤar again on both fronts could be strong. RCS Sport paid a significant sum to secure Pogaฤarโs presence in the Giro in 2024, reportedly over โฌ500,000. A similar deal for Vingegaard might sway both him and the Visma-Lease a Bike team.
For now, Vingegaard has ended his season after winning the Tour de Pologne in August and is spending time with his family as they await the birth of their second child. With six months off from racing, the Danish rider has time to consider his future ambitions, even as his team remains cautious about making any official plans for 2025.
Main photo credit: Getty
