Jonas Vingegaard: What happened today in cycling didn’t really matter

Critérium du Dauphiné stage winner and new race leader Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) celebrated his victory but immediately put his success into a much bigger perspective with a message of support for the victims and families of today’s knife attack in nearby Annecy.

Four children, aged from 22 months to three years, and two adults are currently reported injured in today’s attack in the city located in the French Alps.

After breaking away solo with a powerful late attack, Vingegaard
was clearly emotional, saying: "Of course, I’m very happy with the win. But I think on a day like today, with what happened in Annecy, what happened in cycling doesn’t really matter. My thoughts are with all the families.”

Vingegaard revealed later that his move, a surging attack late on stage 5 on the second-category Côte de Thes, had not been planned. Rather, he said it was more of an instinctive reaction when GC dangerman Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) attempted to go clear.

Whatever the original motivation, after Wednesday’s near-miss at capturing the yellow jersey when he finished in second place in a mid-length time trial, 24 hours later in a stage run off at a jawdropping average speed of 47 kph, Vingegaard's breakaway has now netted him the Dauphiné lead.

“Actually I didn’t want to attack today, I just wanted to defend myself and then they attacked and I was working with Richard and then he couldn’t follow me any more,” explained Vingegaard, who now has a comfortable advantage of over a minute on his closest rival, Ben O’Connor (AG2R-Citröen).

Vingegaard added that although he didn’t expect to take the lead, it meant he can now focus on keeping the rest of his rivals under control for the three days remaining in the race.

Friday’s stage from Nantua to Crest-Voland could see more skirmishes on the very hilly finale, containing a category 2 and a pair of category 3 climbs in succession, prior to two showdown mountain stages in the Alps over the weekend.

“Hopefully I can keep now for the next few days,” Vingegaard, second overall and a stage winner last year, added. “I think from now on I just have to ride really defensively.

“Some of the other ones now have to attack, so of course it changes the race. I think I’m in good shape and I can be happy with where I am now. The work has been paying off.”