Cyclingflash
Visma | Lease a Bike focuses on amateurs who followed Vingegaard just before his crash

Visma | Lease a Bike focuses on amateurs who followed Vingegaard just before his crash

Jonas Vingegaard crashed during a training ride on Monday. Stories have been circulating on the popular training app Strava that the two-time Tour winner fell after trying to shake off an amateur rider on a descent. His team Visma | Lease a Bike has since responded.

The team has confirmed via social media that the Danish GC contender fell during a training ride near Málaga, but stories had already been circulating on Strava in the hours before. The origin is a post from amateur cyclist Pedro García Fernández. The Spaniard claims to have been riding in the slipstream of the Visma | Lease a Bike rider just before he crashed.

"Jonas crashed after trying to shake me off on the descent of Fuente la Reina. I then stopped to ask if he was okay, but he was angry because I tried to follow him. He decided to accelerate on the descent to leave me behind, but then he crashed himself. I'm just an amateur, like most people, so I don’t understand where his anger came from."

The Spaniard not only posted this text on Strava but also shared a photo showing him descending behind Vingegaard on the Fuente la Reina descent. Several eyewitnesses confirm García Fernández’s story. "I saw Jonas by the guardrail with a bloodied face. He must have fallen hard," writes another amateur cyclist.

Another eyewitness shares his account as well. "I decided to stop and asked if he needed help, but he said in an angry tone that I should leave. I do believe professional cyclists should be given space and that it’s important they are respected. He probably felt pressured and rode down faster than he should have."

Visma | Lease a Bike’s Statement
Visma | Lease a Bike, Vingegaard’s team, felt compelled to respond after the reports on Strava. The squad generally focuses on cycling enthusiasts. "As a team, we urgently ask bike lovers to always prioritize safety. For your own safety and that of others, we ask you to give riders the space to train and to grant them as much peace and room as possible."