Follow and hear the third stage of the Tour de France here! – Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and they have their opinion, you can’t do anything about that, says Vingegaard to Danish TV 2 before the start of the third stage of this year’s Tour de France. The answer comes to questions about how he has experienced the uproar that arose after the second stage on Sunday. There, Wout van Aert fell short in the battle for a stage victory in this year’s Tour de France. With a sneaky bump just before the last kilometre, Frenchman Victor Lafay just kept away in San Sebastián on Sunday. DAMN: While Victor Lafay (left) was jubilant, Wout van Aert (right) was annoyed after finishing in San Sebastián. Photo: Daniel Cole / AP This is the first victory for the French Cofidis team in the Tour de France since Sylvain Chavanel won the 19th stage in 2008. A “curse” was broken for the French team. If not a curse, then Van Aert seemed mildly cursed after the finish line and hit the air hard, close to his own steering wheel. 100 meters later he threw the drinking bottle on the ground – an action Tadej Pogacar imitated in front of general manager Adam Yates a little later. In the video, shared by, among others, Sporza, Pogacar is heard saying “like a child”, apparently related to Van Aert’s bottle-throwing. The Belgian let his bike fall to the ground when he turned into the team bus. Just after he got on the bus, a loud shout could be heard. – Just today (Sunday), I think Van Aert is very annoyed that a great chance of victory has been lost, says news’s cycling expert, Sondre Sørtveit. – Had our plane been pissed On both of the first two stages, Van Aert’s team, Jumbo-Visma, did a lot of work towards the end to try to keep it together. But Danish Jonas Vingegaard, the team’s great overall hope, has not been part of that effort. – I would have been very angry, said TV 2’s expert commentator, Thor Hushovd, in TV 2’s broadcast. – In retrospect, he could have done something. But you couldn’t count on an attack from Lafay in the last kilometer. And it’s not Playstation either. Wout could also have brought in Lafay, but then he would have been beaten by Pogacar in the sprint, and you don’t want that at all, said Jumbo-Visma’s sporting director, Frans Maassen to NOS, according to Wielerflits. – We have to look at it. You cannot foresee everything. It could definitely have made a difference today. Then we would have had the victory in our pocket, but unfortunately it didn’t happen that way, Jumbo rider Wilco Kelderman told NOS about Vingegaard’s role. Kelderman did most of the work in the last kilometre, before Tiesj Benoot came to help towards the run. But too late for Jumbo-Visma. – We just lacked a little strength, about one rider, who could have closed the gap, said Kelderman. TWO STARS: Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard, here from the press zone after the team presentation on Thursday. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB Gets harsh criticism in Belgium In bike-crazy Belgium, Vingegaard’s driving has been met with criticism. – I have all possible respect for the Tour winner (Vingegaard), but in this case he should have been a teammate to a slightly greater extent, said Sporza commentator José Cauwer, and followed up: – Vingegaard should have done his part of the job. I find no excuses for that. No one can make me change my mind. Already after the Saturday stage, Vingegaard heard it from the Belgian press. Cycling commentator Michel Wuyts wrote in his column for Het Laatste Nieuws that Vingegaard was passive. – Why doesn’t Vingegaard do anything for Van Aert. I don’t understand it. He has disappointed me a little, wrote Wuyts after the opening stage. Vingegaard was asked by Wielerflits about the criticism that has come from Belgium after the stage. – I don’t think it’s fair, answered the Dane. HESTEHOVUD FØRE: Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard have proven to be the best climbers in this year’s Tour de France so far. Here are the two on the Sunday stage. Photo: Bernard Papon / AP Skipping interview Van Aert left the target area in San Sebastián without doing any interviews. After a shower, Jonas Vingegaard came out to the press, where he explained that the way he was helping van Aert was not to cooperate with Tadej Pogacar. – I could have been selfish and gone around with Pogacar. That way I helped. For my part, I just have to focus on the summary, said Vingegaard to the international press on Sunday. Pogacar and Vingegaard got a gap over the last climb to the stage, as they also did on the opening stage on Saturday -. then together with Victor Lafay. In both cases, Vingegaard has refused to cooperate with rival Pogacar. – I was just disappointed that I didn’t win. We drove for victory, and then it didn’t happen. We were close, and that’s always frustrating. I needed some time for myself, explains van Aert to Danish TV 2, barely a day after the incident. Reacted to the Netflix series: – Quite disturbing For Van Aert, last year’s Tour de France was a great success, with three stage victories and victory in the points competition. In addition, Vingegaard won overall, among other things after several important contributions from Van Aert as assistant rider. In the Netflix documentary Tour de France: Unchained, which came out a few weeks ago, it is hinted that there was friction between Van Aert’s ambitions and Vingegaard’s ambitions in the Tour de France last year. It caused Van Aert to react strongly in an interview with Belgian Sporza ahead of this year’s Tour: – It is quite disturbing that stories that were not included in the documentary. For me, the series is focused on uproar, said Van Aert, and followed up: – Jonas and I are best friends. It focuses on moments where it is difficult to make the right decision, but there are also so many moments where we support each other and work together. It is a shame that it was not included. Vingegaard was also critical of the portrayal in the Netflix series, when he was asked at a press conference in the days before the start of the Tour de France. In general, I think it is good for cycling and the team. But I also think that sometimes it shows that you are creating a story that is not there, Vingegaard said according to Ekstra Bladet. news’s cycling expert does not think Van Aert feels any direct dissatisfaction with Vingegaard not having contributed more in the first stages. – My assumption is that Vingegaard, as the reigning champion, has been given a “free pass” to only concentrate on following his biggest overall competitors, and otherwise rest where he can, regardless of whether it affects Van Aert’s chances of stage victories, says Sørtveit. – But perhaps such a sour second place as today can lead to Van Aert being a little less motivated to go to the cellar for his captain later in the race, says Sørtveit further.
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The debate rages around “uncollegial” Jonas Vingegaard: – Everyone has the right to their opinion – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
