A topic that has been little discussed in Italy, but which could have had a significant impact on the tranquility of jonas vingegaard, is a controversy that erupted out of the blue and was raised by his wife, Trine Marie Hansen. The “lemon controversy”: that’s what it’s been nicknamed.
In essence, Trine told the Danish newspaper Politiken that Visma-Lease a Bike they're squeezing Jonas like a lemon. From there, responses arrived, with great courtesy, from all parties involved, including Wout van aert and Vingegaard himself. Let's reconstruct this story and see how it evolved.
Trine's Interview
In the interview with Politiken, Trine touches on two main topics: the numerous retirements at altitude and the team's tactics which, in his opinion, are not entirely favourable to Jonas..
"Jonas isn't recharging after three weeks at altitude. I fear he's burning the candle at both ends," Trine said. Jonas is someone who needs more rest and relaxation to give his best.You can probably calculate everything in an Excel spreadsheet, but I think sometimes we forget about the whole person and how to get the best out of them.
«The team's greatest wish is for the team to win Tour de France, so they're planning to get there as best as possible, and that includes a lot of altitude training. But Jonas would prefer to train at home with us in Denmark. If we can't do that in Denmark, then we should have the opportunity to come together and just be ourselves. Sometimes he needs to recharge in the quietest possible environment with his family. He's not like many other cyclists."
Trine also mentions the limited number of interviews and the limited use of social media, further leveraging the theme of family. «We don't consider it more important than the time spent together. Jonas has matured: before, he lacked a little chest hair, a little self-confidence, and the belief that he was worthy. Now he has it, and I'm proud of him." This last sentence also deserves reflection...
Wout yes, Wout no
And then perhaps the strongest criticism, the one relating to the team and the racing style of Visma-Lease a Bike, defined, how can I say, as dispersive…
"The team," Hansen said, "should focus exclusively on winning the Tour. I hope Jonas has the team's full support, rather than having separate goals. Then he would have the best chance of winning. Because if you also focus on stage victories for other riders, it's not good. Let's see what they do at the UAE Team Emirates with Tadej pogacarWhen he's at the start of a race, there's no doubt about who the leader is. Everyone knows his role. I think it's incredibly important."
She doesn't name him, but the reference to Wout Van Aert is clear. It's clear that all this doesn't help, especially in a Tour where nerves reign supreme. And we can tell you that there was a lot of it at the start of the stages. Even with Michael Pallini, expert masseur, we talked about him and read the body language of athletes and others.
The replicas
The responses from those concerned arrived promptly, and rightly so. Mrs. Vingegaard's words were not easy to digest.Let's start with Van Aert, who responded like a gentleman, without fueling the controversy.
"We've talked about this at length as a team," Wout said, "and I think everyone on my team knows what to expect from me. Everyone knows their role. Our approach to racing is always very clear. We have multiple goals, and that's why we've had so many successes. Jonas knows this too, and it doesn't bother him at all. So yes, it's a shame that it was painted that way and that these statements came out like that."
Then he intervened Grischa Niermann, the sporting director, acting on behalf of the team: «I think Visma is listening to Vingegaard's wishes. For example, he didn't participate in the February training camp. We have a great relationship with Jonas and we always meet to plan the season. But you have to make sacrifices to win the most important cycling race in the world. Jonas knows it. And Trine knows it too.
«Regarding Van Aert, Wout is the greatest help Jonas can imagine. He's a great champion, and he also needs his goals and his freedom. If you give him that, you get the Wout you saw at the Tour of Italy: what helped Simon yates to win the pink jersey. If you tell him to go to the Tour and just help Jonas, he will. But he won't be as strong as when he has his own space too.The goal is always to do what's best for the team."
Jonas the moderator
In the end, it was the person directly involved, Jonas Vingegaard, who finally put a stop to the situation. Partly glossing over the situation and partly trying to pour water on troubled waters, but with more substance, he said: "I haven't read the interview, so I can't comment on it properly. I know Trine supports me 100 percent. And he'll do everything he can to help me give my best. He only wants the best for me. Of course, there are many altitude training camps throughout the year, so it's tough on family life. But I keep cycling and I haven't had a nervous breakdown yet».
Moreover, the issues raised by his wife are quite out of place with an interview given by the Dane himself to L'Equipe before the Tour. On that occasion, Vingegaard had essentially said that he still loved life as an athlete, including retirements, and that as long as he feels this motivation, he will continue. Commitment, training, suffering: for him, they matter more than the final result. The journey, not the destination. "I'm 28 years old and have four more years left on my contract... Maybe tomorrow I'll lose my motivation and quit? It won't happen. At least not tomorrow. But it could happen. It will depend on how long I continue to love this life."
«I really like cycling – Jonas told the French newspaper – Going out on my bike every day, competing, fighting for victory… all this gives me the motivation to train every dayIf you feel you've received a gift, if I may say so, you have to use it, otherwise you lose it. In a certain sense, I received this gift, and feeling like I'm using it motivates me. When you feel good in training, when you suffer but feel normal, as has happened to me in the last few weeks, it's something wonderful. Do I think I'm mentally strong? Yes, I think it's my main quality. I am able to resist even when things go wrong."
