One of two resident Danes at CHPT3, Jacqueline Hoffman remarks on watching young sensation Jonas Vingegaard make a statement on a landmark day at the 2021 Tour de France.
When weather and cycling come together as a moody and intense play, you put everything down and glue yourself to the couch in front of the TV.
On what was a busy day for Denmark, we watched a Danish butterfly attack on one of the most iconic climbs in France, like it was his own. An incredible young rider that finally escapes the silky cocoon with a sea of polka dotted T-shirts and people that ‘I love vélo’.
He has shown everyone that you don’t have to grow up in a country with iconic climbs to attack on the hardest mountain stages of the Tour de France. You don’t have to make too much noise until you’re ready and he proved that if you really want to, there’s a possibility that you will become a butterfly on top of Mont Ventoux...
I’ve watched Vingegaard race with my brother for years. Being on the same team, they spend a lot of time racing bikes and doing the distance in cars, from one race to another. Even though he rarely made it on to the podium, Vingegaard was a name and person that stuck. But why? Because of his kindness. His attitude to cycling. His gratitude for being on a strong team with strong riders. He is a team player and he never stopped pushing, even if he wasn’t shining on the podium just yet. He was learning. He was adapting and secretly preparing for the biggest race in cycling. I’d go as far as to say he is the best poker player in cycling.
It is like flowers between rocks. They blossom in a hard environment, and they continue to shine and stay strong. They are here now and they’re here to stay. This year's Tour de France has yet again provided us with nail-biting excitement and betting on ‘famous riders’ just isn’t safe anymore. You don’t know what butterfly is coming out of the cocoon next. It’s time for a new act.
It’s like with everything, you never know what’s next and the Tour de France is famous for that. Isn’t that why we all watch it religiously every year?
