The Saitama Tour is not just a criterium, but also a way to get closer to the riders who, far from the World Tour stress, are more available for interviews. Jonas Vingegaard, after his victory, wanted to dedicate a few minutes to the Belgian press, to whom he talked about his future ambitions and the season that just concluded.

The Dane talked about his battle with Tadej Pogacar, his relationship with Wout van Aert, and the need to relax as a cyclist, because a race like the Tour de France is exhausting and so for next year the objectives might change, although the Grande Boucle will remain the main focus.

"We still need to discuss with the team what the objectives for 2026 will be - Vingegaard said -: aim to complete the chase for the three grand tours or continue to focus on the Tour de France in 2026? I believe I would prefer to win the three grand tours. After two victories at the Tour de France (2022, 2023) and the Vuelta (2025), the Giro remains an objective, but we have not yet decided if I will start the next season with that. The Tour remains the main objective, obviously. But the question now is whether we can combine both things". The Giro-Tour double could be feasible, but only after the Visma-Lease a Bike team's retreat in December will it be possible to know the Dutch team's plans.

Then there is the relationship with Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian champion whom everyone sees as unbeatable: for Vingegaard, it remains a challenge to be repeated at every encounter, faced with the conviction of being able to beat him.

"Sometimes Tadej seems truly untouchable. He is incredibly strong, undoubtedly the best rider in the world right now. But if I said he is unbeatable, it would mean giving up the fight. So I won't do that. I understand that it might seem that way from the outside, but I still believe I have a chance to beat him. I am still growing and I feel I have only recently returned to the level I was at before my accident in the Basque Country in 2024."

The Dane was unaware of Pogacar's problems during the Tour, when at the end of the third week he had a knee issue. For Vingegaard, that physical problem would not have changed the race's result.

"I did not know about his knee injury during the third week of the Tour. But to be honest, I would not have dwelled on it too much, because I was focused only on myself. I have also had difficult days during a grand tour when I was sick or weak, and I know it is not easy. But you have no choice: you just have to keep going, and that's what we all do."

In October, the Tour de France route was revealed, and the Dane would have preferred a more challenging first week. "The Tour route is designed to create tension. It becomes progressively harder as the days pass, culminating in a challenging third week. But honestly, I would have wanted it to be a bit harder at the beginning. In any case, you must be at your best until the end. I often have my best days in the third week, so I hope to repeat that, especially in the penultimate stage, with 5,600 meters of elevation and a finish at Alpe d'Huez. It's a truly crazy stage. Perhaps one of the hardest ever, but I can't wait to do it and hope to have super legs that day."

The team has always supported Vingegaard, and there is Wout van Aert, who has always worked hard for him. The Dane knows this and hopes that at next year's Tour, the collaboration between him and the Belgian can still work well.

"Wout has a lot of personality and wants to achieve results, and when he is in good form, it is advantageous for everyone. I do not know if there are few stages suitable for him in the 2026 Tour, I have not yet examined the route in detail, so I cannot say with certainty. I know the team supports my general classification objectives. And if the main objective is to win the Tour, then this remains the number one priority for everyone."

The two-time Tour de France winner skipped the World Championships in Rwanda this year, presenting himself instead at the European Championships, where, however, the result did not come. Vingegaard is a strong rider in stage races, but one day he would like to be at the start of the world championship, with the intention of conquering the rainbow jersey.

"I was not good at the Europeans in France. In hindsight, I must admit that I was probably too tired. I had to recover for almost two weeks after the Vuelta, and that was clearly not the ideal preparation. But this does not mean that I will not race one-day races anymore. If they fit my schedule, I will certainly consider them. I am convinced that stage races are more suitable for me, and this is what I will continue to focus on. But if I could win even just one one-day race, then I would definitely choose the World Championships."