'I still think I can win' – Jonas Vingegaard defiant on second rest day despite time loss to Tadej Pogačar in Tour de France

A defiant Jonas Vingegaard has thrown down the gauntlet on the Tour de France's second rest day, and he insists that the race is not over and he can still win.

Vingegaard is already more than four minutes down on Tadej Pogačar, who has won four stages in the first 15 days of racing, while Pogačar's UAE squad also captured a fifth victory on Sunday with Tim Wellens.

Vingegaard had a tough first week time trial and also a big setback on the Hautacam stage, where he effectively won the Tour in 2023, but he then showed signs of improvement on stage 13's uphill time trial and again in the final Pyrenean stage at Superbagnères.

Furthermore, he pointed out, his third weeks in Grand Tours tend to be where he's at his best, so he's prepared to fight for a third yellow jersey.

"I do still think that I can win it," Vingegaard said. "Of course, it looks very hard, now, it's a big gap, but I still think I can do it.

"Normally, I'm strongest in the third week. Of course, I'm not going to tell you my tactics, but I do still believe I can do it."

As for the 'how' he could do it, Vingegaard was clear; he told journalists, answering simply, "To attack."

"I mean, we have to attack. We have to try to do something. But again, I'm not going to tell you my tactics. I'm feeling better. Obviously, I had two bad days. Normally, I have no bad days; that's unfortunate, but I can only look forwards.

"I have the feeling I'm increasing my level, and if you stop believing, for sure, it will not happen."

First up is the Mont Ventoux, he said, with Tuesday's stage being something of a different day. But as he pointed out, it's an iconic climb, and for that matter, one where he managed briefly to drop Pogačar in 2021, which surely could count for something, if only a little more motivation.

DS Grischa Niermann confirmed that the big goal in the Tour remained the GC, but insisted that stages were always an option as well. So far, they have succeeded with Simon Yates on stage 10, and they could well be looking for more.

However, the main focus is beating Pogačar, and the first potential flashpoint for the GC battle is on Ventoux. Vingegaard ruled out an early attack on the ascent, though, even if Pogačar's slight cold symptoms he showed on the weekend get worse and the Slovenian begins to be vulnerable.

"I don't think so. It's a super hard climb. Probably it'll be paced hard from the bottom. If somebody's sick, it'll show from the bottom too," he said.

"To be honest, he's been looking very strong so far. I wouldn't say he's got any weaknesses, he's probably one of the best all-rounders in the bunch, if not the best. If I found one, I wouldn't sit here and say it.

"I think the biggest improvement both him and I made was two years ago to last year, from there it went up a little bit, but the biggest was from 2023 to 2024."

Regarding why he had had his two bad days, Vingegaard was uncertain.

"That's a really good question. We are still looking into it and we haven't found an answer yet."

He did not feel he made mistakes in the Tour, though. "I had two bad days, and when you have that, you're going to lose time. It can happen to anyone, even Tadej in the third week." He was doubtful, though, that Pogačar would be tired in the third week because of the Classics. "I don't see that happening."

The key point for Vingegaard, in any case, is that he believes that more than a dramatic improvement in Pogačar compared to previous years, he has had off-days.

"So far, the time difference hasn't been so big. In my opinion, it's less than last year. For sure, the crash last year [in Itzulia] big impact, it was not two steps back but 10.

"But I think the crash this year [in Paris-Nice] had no impact. After about a week, I could start training slowly again.

"I think we saw in 2020 actually having a long period of training can be beneficial. Back there in the COVID period, the whole peloton increased its level by 10 %"

The other big question is how much Vingegaard is willing to risk for the victory, and after two second places in the Tour in 2021 and 2024, not to mention two victories, the answer is – everything, partly, as Niermann hinted, because they have no choice.

"We will have to decide, of course, it's four minutes to make that up; you don't get it with an attack 500 metres to go in the high mountains," said Visma's Head of Racing.

"There needs to be a weakness somewhere on Tadej's part. For now, we haven't found it, but we'll keep trying. There are a few big stages to come and we'll try for it. The Tour is over until we get to Paris."

"Of course, four minutes is a big gap, but actually I think I can make a difference, yes," added Vingegaard. "I don't think he was a lot better than he was in the Dauphiné, to be honest. If he's better."

"I know that the off-days are not my level. The performances were so poor I know it's higher, and I can do a lot better. When you know that you don't lose your belief.

"I have to think about the guys behind me, too, and we saw how good [Florian] Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was in the Dauphiné, so I'm not surprised he's there. But I'm also willing to sacrifice the second place to go for first."

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