Vingegaard reveals: "Pogačar wrote to me after he withdrew from the Tour."

When Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) crashed and was forced to retire from the Tour de France , his great rival Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was among the first to react publicly. Visibly disappointed, the Slovenian declared in front of the cameras, during the post-stage interview of stage 15, that the race would never be the same without the double Danish winner.

"It's really, really sad to see Jonas out. Since 2021, we've always been fighting for the win," Pogačar said at the time. "Maybe we didn't have the best relationship at the beginning, but over the last two years, we've become good rivals, respectful adversaries, and I think even friends in some ways. The Tour won't be the same without him."

Eleven days after the accident that left him with a broken collarbone , Vingegaard spoke to the media for the first time, visiting his home race, the Tour of Denmark . And it was there that the Dane confirmed what many had hoped: Pogačar had sent him a private message after his retirement.

"He wrote me a message. I was happy about that," Vingegaard revealed to Danish publication Feltet , at the start of the second stage in his hometown of Glyngøre. "I'm happy that he's thinking of me and that he thinks it's nice how this rivalry has developed. At the beginning, it was maybe a little more... not hostile, but not so friendly. In recent years, it's become much more cordial. I think that's a nice thing. Sometimes we even chat. I think it's right."

Pogačar also posted a photo of the two together on Instagram, wearing the yellow and polka-dotted jersey, after the Dane's abandonment, writing: "The Tour won't be the same without you. Get well soon, my friend." The post quickly garnered over 500,000 likes , a testament to how much this rivalry is loved by the general public.

Since 2021, the two have consistently occupied the top two spots in the Tour de France general classification. Without Vingegaard's meteoric rise to the top of world cycling, Pogačar would likely be on the verge of winning his seventh consecutive Tour. This rivalry has kept the spectacle alive and made the greatest stage race of all time more evenly balanced.

Often spotted chatting at the start line during the 15 stages they've raced together this year, the two have built a relationship of genuine respect. And it doesn't look like it's ending anytime soon: Vingegaard has already expressed his desire to return to the Tour and has firmly rejected rumors of a possible retirement in 2028, when his current contract with Visma expires.

Having beaten Pogačar twice in a row in 2022 and 2023, the balance has shifted in the Slovenian's favor starting in 2024, with the next three titles—including the current one—going to the overall record holder with five victories. Although he remained the second-best climber in the race until his retirement, Vingegaard paid the price, particularly for his lack of brilliance at key moments, admitting to Feltet : "Maybe we misinterpreted the Tour this year."

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency