How 'scary' Jonas Vingegaard landed psychological blow on GC rival Tadej Pogacar on dramatic Stage 2 of Tour de France
Updated 07/07/2025 at 10:10 GMT+1
Jonas Vingegaard raced uncharacteristically on Stage 2 of the Tour de France. Jonathan Vaughters told The Breakaway that he was surprised by the two-time Tour de France winner’s third-placed finish. The EF Education–EasyPost boss then put forward a theory that the Dane’s turn on Stage 2 was a successful attempt to land a psychological blow on Tadej Pogacar ahead of future battles.
Did ‘really aggressive’ Vingegaard land early psychological blow on Pogacar?
Video credit: TNT Sports
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) beat Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) to the line in a breathless, stunning finish on Stage 2 of the Tour de France live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
The second Tour stage win of his career left the Dutchman prone on the floor and secured him the maillot jaune. Yet, it was the psychological blow delivered by Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) that piqued the interest of Jonathan Vaughters, speaking on The Breakaway.
The stage’s parcours drew comparisons to a Spring Classic, and it had been billed as a showdown between Pogacar, Van der Poel and Wout van Aert. Those predictions proved partially correct, with Van der Poel and Pogacar slugging it out on the punchy finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Van Aert (Visma) sacrificed himself on a Cat. 3 climb in service of Vingegaard, rolling over the line in 80th, some 3’29’’ in arrears. And it was Vingegaard’s third-placed finish that caught the eye of Vaughters.
"I feel like Jonas would have usually finished 10th or 15th [on a stage like that]," began EF Education–EasyPost boss Vaughters, speaking alongside Michael Matthews, Robbie McEwen and Adam Blythe on The Breakaway.
"He'd have been in that [lead] group, hanging on, reliant more on the fact that he's a big aerobic engine but doesn't have that punch.
"The fact that he had that much of a punch means he's got a lot more in the tank than we think."
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Pogacar reflects on ‘good day’ at Tour despite losing Stage 2 sprint to Van der Poel
Video credit: TNT Sports
A new, more relaxed Vingegaard attitude has left the Dane less calculated, but a scarier proposition, concurred Jayco–AlUla rider Matthews.
Matthews said: "This year he's come with this relaxed attitude, where he's just like, ‘I'm just gonna race my bike and see what happens’, and not [be] so calculated, which is a little bit scary, but also very exciting to watch.
"Normally, he's quite tight and a bit like [Primoz] Roglic and now he's just like, ‘I wanna race my bike, let's go, let's go for it, boys, let's have some fun’."
Some uncharacteristic pulls on terrain not necessarily suited to Vingegaard’s strengths indicated – to Vaughters at least – that the two-time Tour winner was laying a marker on Pogacar.
"I think it's also a little bit of a psychological battle," Vaughters said. "He's showing Tadej he has a punch too. Between the two of them, you know, they're very equally matched in terms of steady power but Tadej always has the better punch.
"Well, Jonas is getting a couple of little blows in just saying, ‘hey, you know, I can do that too’.
"Was he ever going to gain that much time today with those attacks? No, probably not, but was it a psychological hit? Yes it was."
- Roglic's pre-stage comments a 'slap in the face' to team-mates
- Van der Poel storms to breathless Stage 2 victory ahead of Pogacar
‘About time’ and ‘everything else a bonus’ - Van der Poel
While Vingegaard might have been displaying uncharacteristic traits in service of his general classification goals, Van der Poel did what he does: emptied the tank to power to the line.
It was his second Tour stage win and four years since his first, and saw him assume the race lead from Alpecin-Deceuninck team-mate Jasper Philipsen.
Van der Poel told TNT Sports he had waited long enough to add a second Tour stage win to his palmares and that everything else was now a bonus given his team's dream start.
"It was super difficult," said Van der Poel after the race.
"The final was actually harder than I thought.
"I was really motivated, finally, after I think four years since I won my first stage on the Tour de France. It was about time I won another one.
"Of course people put me as the favourite, but if you see which riders were on the front on the climbs I did a really good job to be there.
"I thought Jasper [Philipsen] would have a chance but the climbs were harder than I expected. It was a really hard pace as well - there was maybe eight guys left on top at the end. It was a really hard, nervous day. It's a dream start for a team. Everything that comes now is a bonus."
Can Alpecin-Deceuninck make it three from three on Monday, and will Vingegaard lay further markers on Pogacar?
The coverage starts midday on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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Van der Poel: It was about time I won another TdF stage, everything else is a bonus
Video credit: TNT Sports
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