The Dane from Visma-Lease a Bike was forced to retire after a crash 21km from the finish: it's the first time he's abandoned a Grand Tour.
Jonas Vingegaard has been ruled out of the 2026 Tour de France. A brutal and unexpected outcome for the two-time Danish champion, forced into an ambulance after a crash during the fifteenth stage, just 21 kilometers from the finish. The accident definitively puts an end to the dreams of one of the favorites for the overall victory.
The Visma-Lease a Bike rider lost control of his bike exiting a roundabout, sliding onto the asphalt and injuring his right shoulder. With the peloton waiting a few hundred meters ahead, Vingegaard had to throw in the towel: no chance of continuing.
The dynamics of the accident are clear: the team was working flat out to recapture a breakaway, with Victor Campenaerts leading the pack. Vingegaard was in fourth place and, while exiting the roundabout, appears to have hit the kerb, fatally losing his balance.
The Dane had started today's stage 4 minutes and 30 seconds behind Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), already the undisputed leader of the race with four stage wins to his name. Despite the disadvantage, Vingegaard never stopped believing in a comeback, declaring in every interview that he was there to win. Stage 15, with its final climb to the Plateau de Solaison , was exactly the terrain on which the Dane could have struck. We'll never know.
Sports journalist and cycling enthusiast, following professional cycling for over 10 years. Collaborates with FantaCycling to bring you the best analysis and news from the world of cycling.
The former cyclist criticizes the test performed at 2 a.m. on Vingegaard before his crash: "An unacceptable situation."
The Danish champion breaks his silence after his crash on stage 15: broken collarbone, but head held high and thoughts already turned to his teammates
The Belgian's words after his triumph at Plateau de Solaison
The Dane from Visma-Lease a Bike was forced to retire after a crash 21km from the finish: it's the first time he's abandoned a Grand Tour.
