TNT Sports
The extreme measure Jonas Vingegaard suggests might be needed after fan incident - 'Have to accept we're at work'
By
Updated 08/03/2026 at 21:31 GMT
Visma - Lease a Bike rider Jonas Vingegaard was involved in a crash that caused minor injuries when he was followed down a descent by an amateur cyclist in Spain at the start of the year. He has now suggested that professionals involved in the sport could soon employ a bodyguard in order to protect themselves on the road when they are out training.
Highlights: Lamperti takes victory in opening Paris-Nice stage
Video credit: TNT Sports
Visma - Lease a Bike rider Jonas Vingegaard has warned that riders could end up employing "personal bodyguards" after a number of training crashes involving fans.
In a recent incident, an amateur cyclist followed him on a descent in January while in Spain, with the Dane sustaining minor injuries after a subsequent crash.
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates XRG), has previously spoken out about his own concerns when it comes to interactions with fellow cyclists while he is out on the road to train.
Appearing on Danish television channel TV2, Vingegaard dissected what had happened and his reflections on the incident.
"It’s probably a big deal for them to see a rider like Tadej or me," he said. "You have to accept that we’re at work. Rather than either sitting on top of us or next to us and talking to us.
"We’re working and I might be doing an interval, and then I don’t have the time or energy to sit and talk. That way, I think they should give a little more privacy."
He then warned that if the situation continued to get worse, cyclists could take extreme actions to protect themselves from the public.
He added: "At the time, when the crash had just happened, I also thought that if it continues like this, and it gets worse and worse, then that’s what it’s going to end up with.
"Either the riders have a motorcycle or some kind of personal bodyguard, which means that people can’t get close at all. Then it’s even worse. We have to take care of ourselves.
"But it’s actually not so much when I’m cycling at home in Denmark because there aren’t that many people cycling around Glyngore. But it’s more when you’re abroad, because there are many people following you.
"I think it’s okay for people to come up and ask for a picture and let us do the training that we have to do. That’s my job.
"Even though you might think I shouldn’t, I still have to be considerate of the person behind me. If I have to brake hard, I risk him riding into me from behind.
"If I have snot in my nose, I can’t just blow my nose because I risk hitting him. So I have to be considerate of someone all the time. There’s a reason I’m out riding alone. It’s because I want to ride alone.
"Maybe he knows who I am, but we don’t know each other. And the fact that he’s sitting in my wheel, I think is a bit borderline. I don’t just follow someone on the street when I’m out walking. So, for me, it seems a bit borderline that people follow me in that way."
- Drama as chasing group take wrong turn during Strade Bianche
- 'Really dangerous' scenes as Healy goes down among 'encroaching' crowd
- Pogacar and UAE dominance leaves peloton 'sombre'
Vingegaard is currently riding Paris-Nice, with the first stage taking place on Sunday.
The stage was won by Luke Lamperti (EF Education-EasyPost), with the American pleased with the biggest achievement of his career so far.
"It's super special," said Lamperti. "Marijn [van den Berg of Education–EasyPost] was the last guy. We started quite early. He went from far, but luckily he was super strong.
"He did maybe 350 metres himself to deliver me to the last 200, so in the end I just had to do the final few metres on my own."
Stream the 2026 cycling season live on TNT Sports and discovery+
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement