Danish Dynamite in Paris: Vingegaard on the tour throne

Jonas Vingegaard enjoyed a glass of champagne on his Tour d'Honneur before being frenetically celebrated by thousands of compatriots in red and white on the magnificent Champs Élysees boulevard. The slight boy from the fish factory in Jutland reached the goal of his dreams on Sunday after 3343,8 kilometers. 26 years after Bjarne Riis' now badly tarnished triumph, Danish Dynamite reigned again at the Tour de France in Paris. “It's been an incredible three weeks, a dream,” said Vingegaard after dethroning seemingly invincible defending champion Tadej Pogacar.

The tour, which came to an atmospheric end on Sunday with Jasper Philipsen's victory in the Sprint Royale ahead of Dylan Groenewegen and Alexander Kristoff, saw the transformation of a man once plagued by self-doubt and nervousness into a confident winning rider. In the Alps and Pyrenees he didn't reveal any weaknesses - and has long since felt like wanting more. “I want to win even more,” said the 25-year-old, who also showed himself to be a great sportsman as he waited for him in the mountains after Pogacar’s fall. “We have a good relationship. We’re not friends, but we respect each other.”

Tadej Pogacar (left) and Jonas Vingegaard fought a thrilling battle. © ANSA / GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO

So the tour can look forward to further big duels. Because Pogacar – this time in second place, almost three minutes behind – is also eager for revenge. “A lot of people want to see another winner. It's not so bad to swap places. I have found a stronger opponent. That gives me motivation to be better next year,” said the Slovenian, who is two years younger and whose team was decimated by several corona cases. “Everyone is clean” This is not the first cycling boom that Denmark has experienced. The last two times ended in great disillusionment. Riis later admitted in the wake of the Telekom scandal that he had been doping during his triumph and Michael Rasmussen was pulled out of the yellow jersey shortly before the end of 2007 and sent home because he had given the doping controllers incorrect locations. He also later confessed to doping.

If you believe Vingegaard, times have changed. “We are totally clean. All of us. I can speak for the entire team. None of us take anything forbidden,” said the new tour patron. Rasmussen, now a journalist in the tour entourage, spoke of a “nonsensical question”. He doesn't know of any active drivers who would confess something in front of the camera.

The tour has not registered a doping case since 2015, but there were 17 corona cases this year. As in society, this is now normal thanks to the easing of restrictions.

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Danish Dynamite in Paris: Vingegaard on the tour throne

26 years after Bjarne Riis, Denmark has another tour winner. Jonas Vingegaard dethrones Tadej Pogacar, who immediately announces a revenge.

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