Merijn Zeeman believes that “the competition” rather than “the fight for the yellow” is a possible new reference
Visma-Lease a Bike sporting director Merijn Zeeman has changed the parameters and goals that will decide whether Jonas Vingegaard competes in the 2024 Tour de France, saying the Danish star’s participation depends on being “competitive” rather than “fight for yellow”.
Vingegaard was involved in a horrific accident in Itzulia-Basque Country in April and has since raced against time to recover from his injuries.
The latest twist in the long saga of the Tour de France “it won’t be” was provided by Zeeman during an interview with the Cycloo Wielercafé podcast.
If confirmed, this would constitute a lowering of the bar from that set by previous comments from the Visma-Lease a Bike team. Earlier this year, the Dutch team said that the two-time Tour de France winner would only appear on the starting line for a week in Florence if he was 100% ready and able to fight for a third victory consecutive
These expectations and boundaries seem to have changed.
“The Tour is not like a big time trial where the best rider always wins,” Zeeman told the podcast when asked about a possible change in his criteria.
“So there is also a tactical component, and if you can stay out of trouble. Then we will make a decision.
Zeeman confirmed that since last time it was said that the leader of Visma-Lease A Bike should be able to challenge for the yellow jersey, the team was in a different position after more riders suffered crashes and crashes.
“Yes, I said it two weeks after those falls. We have now come a long way and we may need to refine this further,” said Zeeman.
“It’s a very difficult puzzle. We have a lot of injuries, so we still have work to do to solve the problem.
“Wout Van Aert is already much more advanced, he has already participated in the Tour of Norway, but Jonas is certainly in a difficult situation from Itzulia Basque Country.”
“Now he is training. But training is one thing, but knowing how to be competitive in the Tour is another.
“We are not yet ready to say that he will start if he manages to get on the podium. But one day we will take stock (and decide): will he go or not? How is he now? What can we expect?”
Zeeman stressed that Vingegaard’s opinion was essential in this decision-making process, and recalled that the accident, which led the Dane to spend two weeks in the hospital and not race since the beginning of April, had serious consequences.
“It wasn’t just a broken collarbone,” he said. “We must not forget that it is a fall with a very big impact. There is also the fear of another fall. After the Dauphiné, I continued to Tignes, so I talked a lot with him.”
