Tour de France 2023: ‘Could have changed the outcome’ – Did Jonas Vingegaard let Wout van Aert down?

Jonas Vingegaard “could have made the difference” for Jumbo-Visma team-mate Wout van Aert in the Stage 2 sprint, says Eurosport expert Robbie McEwen, had he contributed to the chase of winner Victor Lafay (Cofidis).

With three team-mates in the front group as they headed towards the finish in San Sebastian, Van Aert was the overwhelming favourite to take a 10th stage victory at the Tour – even when Lafay launched off the front with 1km remaining.

But with Wilco Kelderman fading and Tiesj Benoot flagging after earlier efforts, only Vingegaard seemed primed to aid a Van Aert chase.

It sparked a big discussion on The Breakaway after the stage, with McEwen and Adam Blythe suggesting Vingegaard should have come to the aid of his fellow Jumbo-Visma superstar.

“Had he led through the final corner with Wout on his wheel at 600m to go, he could have changed the outcome for Wout van Aert,” said McEwen.

“That’s the criticism he’s going to get and I think it’s just. In this situation today, it wasn’t a really uphill finish, he wasn’t at risk of losing time, he could have made the difference and he didn’t.”

Discontent has already surfaced in Van Aert’s native Belgium over Vingegaard’s lack of assistance on the opening stage in Bilbao, which saw twins Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) and Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla) get clear before claiming a famous one-two.

Asked whether this latest no-show from Vingegaard in the finale will increase pressure inside the team, McEwen continued: “I think it will have to add to the pressure, the lack of success for one of their marquee riders [Van Aert].

“He’s here in support of Vingegaard but he’s also in the Tour to win stages and have his own chances. This was another one of them.

“Yesterday I could sort of understand Vingegaard not doing the chase behind the Yates brothers because of the uphill run to the line, it was risky to lose time. Today it wasn’t and I think this was the day to do it.”

Van Aert played super-domestique as Vingegaard won the Tour in 2022 and will be expected to bury himself again in the mountains as Jumbo-Visma look to beat two-time champion Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates).

Blythe wondered if a lack of experience was behind Vingegaard going AWOL, adding that Jumbo-Visma need a “happy” Van Aert to give the Dane the best chance of retaining the yellow jersey.

“We look at Jonas Vingegaard and we know he’s here for GC…he knows he just has to cross the finish line safely,” said Blythe.

“If you go back a few years and you look at Vincenzo Nibali, Bradley Wiggins, these kind of riders that have been in the sport for such a long time, they would have been like ‘last kilometre, let’s go boys, we’re going to win this stage’.

“Yes he [Vingegaard] wants Wout to win, but all he’ll be concerned about is ‘I need to get across the line safely’. And I just think that is purely down to experience.”

Blythe added: “I think internally within the team they have to remember they need a happy Wout. They need a Wout that needs to work for Jonas later in the race.

“I think they can speak to Jonas and say: ‘Look, in these situations you’re allowed to help. Don’t risk losing time, but you’re not going to in a reduced bunch sprint. You need to think about how to help your team-mate.’

“I think Wout will be a little bit annoyed maybe at Jonas for not helping – like ‘dude, you could have just come to the front for 200 metres’.”

Vingegaard, 26, is only appearing at his fourth Grand Tour and is Jumbo-Visma’s leader as he looks to win a second yellow jersey.

– – –