The 27-year-old Dane hasn’t competed since breaking his ribs, collarbone, and lung during the Tour of the Basque Country at the beginning of April.
Vingegaard stated, “The past few months have not always been easy, but I am grateful for my family’s and Team Visma-Lease a Bike’s unwavering support.”
On June 29, the Italian city of Florence will host the start of the Tour de France.
Wout van Aert, a nine-time stage winner and former wearer of the green jersey, will provide support for Vingegaard. Originally, van Aert was supposed to race the Giro d’Italia before spending July getting ready for the Olympic Games in Paris.
However, during a one-day event in Belgium, his own fast-paced collision severely disrupted those preparations.
In an ideal world, Vingegaard—who earned the yellow jersey in 2022 and 2023—would be seen as the clear favorite to keep it.
Nevertheless, questions about his form and preparedness to fight over the course of three weeks in cycling’s greatest race will persist given the block of training and preparation he has missed, especially in light of the presence of his formidable competitor Tadej Pogacar, who won the Giro in May with convincing ease.
“He is recuperating from a severe injury. He has demonstrated in recent weeks what a champion he is, both physically and emotionally,” stated Merijn Zeeman, sporting director of Vingegaard’s Team Visma.
