Vingegaard's Unforgettable Ride with Amateurs

Jonas Vingegaard invites amateur cyclists to ride with him in the Pyrenees, discussing nutrition and racing while showcasing his friendly side.

Three young French cyclists had a once-in-a-lifetime experience when they were invited to ride with Jonas Vingegaard during his training in the Pyrenees. The cyclists joined Vingegaard, a Visma | Lease a Bike rider, as he prepared for the Tour de France.

The experience was captured on video by Grischa Niermann, Visma | Lease a Bike's sports director, showcasing the cyclists riding alongside Vingegaard in the challenging terrain of the Pyrenees, specifically on Hautacam.

New infos from Jonas Vingegaard:

Jonas Vingegaard started to train normally only 2 weeks ago.

It took him unfortunately 5 weeks to shake off the concussion fog.

He won't be at 100% during Dauphiné as he don’t want to peak soon, so taking this easily.

ℹ️: @allergy_al & Tim… pic.twitter.com/VKg86GmGHD

— Lukáš Ronald Lukács (@lucasaganronald) April 29, 2025

“His car overtook us in the middle of the climb (for Col du Soulor) and it stopped on the side of the road. Grischa Niermann said that Vingegaard was about two minutes ahead and that we could catch him because he was not driving very fast", says the 19-year Frenchman Paul Capelle, who was one of the three fortunate riders, to TV 2 Sport

“We had to up the pace to around 400 watts to reach him. We reached him and I said it was incredible to see him and I asked if it was no problem if we could ride along and follow. He agreed to that, and we did almost all of his training with him,” says Paul Capelle.

Jonas Vingegaard, a Tour de France favorite, met with three Frenchmen, including Capelle, on the Col du Soulor climb before heading to Hautacam. During their encounter, Vingegaard was unusually talkative.

When my friend Paul Capelle with Lucas Barbier caught Jonas Vingegaard training in the Pyrenees. ⛰️

He said Jonas was very friendly, they rode together for like 4 hours and even Jonas asked them if they don’t feel cold. 🥹

Their Instagrams: https://t.co/U2LYhv9Yzx &… pic.twitter.com/f4w3H7MNev

— Lukáš Ronald Lukács (@lucasaganronald) April 30, 2025

“He was also interested in me. He asked if I was involved in sports and if I raced. We talked about everything and it was pretty cool,” Capelle said, reflecting on their conversation about nutrition, the upcoming race calendar, and more.

Three young French cyclists felt incredibly fortunate to have spent a four-hour training session with Jonas Vingegaard on Hautacam. “We feel incredibly lucky, and it won't happen again in my life. Otherwise, I will play the lottery if it happens again,” said Capelle.

Capelle reflected on the experience, saying, “For him it was a little training, for us it was incredible.” Vingegaard is currently preparing for the Criterium du Dauphine (June 8-15) before the Tour de France starts on July 5.