Jonas Vingegaard confirms he will not race at 2024 Vuelta a Espana, admits to feeling 'exhausted' after Tour de France

ByEurosport

Updated 22/07/2024 at 06:41 GMT

Jonas Vingegaard failed to retain his Tour de France crown as Tadej Pogacar became the 2024 champion on Sunday. After finishing second, Vingegaard confirmed that he would not be competing at this year's final Grand Tour, the Vuelta a Espana. Speaking to Eurosport, he said that he was more tired than he had ever been at a Grand Tour, and would focus on other "priorities."

‘I have other priorities this year’ - Vingegaard rules out Vuelta a Espana tilt

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) has confirmed that he will not compete at the 2024 Vuelta a Espana.

Vingegaard arrived at the Tour de France as the champion for the last two years, but was unseated by Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) as the Slovenian put on a three-week masterclass.

Pogacar sealed his Tour de France triumph on Sunday, and recently all but ruled out his own chances of taking part in the season’s final Grand Tour.

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Vingegaard now appears to have taken the same decision after finishing runner-up in France.

Speaking to Eurosport, the 27-year-old Dane said he wanted to return to compete at the Tour in the future, explaining: “Of course I want to come back and win it again.

"I think now I need a bit of rest, and then it will really come back to me.”

Asked about his potential involvement in the Spanish Grand Tour, he added: “Unfortunately not this year. I will not be at the start of the Vuelta a Espana.

"I have different priorities this year, but for sure I will be there again in the future.”

Perhaps linked to his decision to miss the Vuelta, Vingegaard noted how fatigued he felt after completing a particularly arduous Tour.

He said: “I'm tired, I don't think I've ever been this tired after a Grand Tour before. To be honest, I'm exhausted, and I need a bit of rest now.

"It's been quite some journey because it's only three and a half months ago I had the worst crash of my career, breaking almost every bone in the upper right side of my body, and puncturing both lungs.”

Vingegaard will also miss the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games, as he was not chosen to represent Denmark this summer.

Last year, Vingegaard's team-mate Sepp Kuss won the Vuelta, finishing ahead of the Dane and Primoz Roglic, who took second and third respectively for Visma.

Vingegaard 'fights to the end' in time trial but comes up short against Pogacar

The leadership of the Visma team during that Grand Tour came into question, before Kuss was ultimately given the support to go on and win the red jersey, his first Grand Tour GC success.

Kuss missed the 2024 Tour de France after contracting Covid-19 on the eve of the start in Florence, but looks set to defend his Vuelta crown, with the action starting on August 17 on Eurosport and discovery+.

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