Best of the rest: Vingegaard and team get a taste of their own medicine on the Tour

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Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 12 - Auch to Hautacam - Hautacam, France - July 17, 2025 Team Visma | Lease a Bikes Jonas Vingegaard after crossing the finish line in second place on stage 12 REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

HAUTACAM, France - While Tadej Pogacar has been enjoying a dream Tour de France run this year, his main rival Jonas Vingegaard and his once almighty team are now closer to third than first place after just one high mountain stage on Thursday.

Vingegaard was left shattered by Pogacars brutal attack in the climb up to Hautacam in the 12th stage, leaving the two-time champion 3:31 behind his rival in the overall standings.

On the last climb Tadej was clearly the best and in the end Jonas also suffered a lot. Tomorrow is a new day, we will keep fighting, Vingegaards Visma–Lease a Bike sports director Grischa Niermann told reporters.

He is the best of the rest.

In 2022, Visma-Lease a Bike riders pulled off a tactical coup in the Alps by trapping Pogacar, before Vingegaard effectively sealed his maiden Tour title in Hautacam by humiliating the Slovenian.

He added another title in 2023 by beating Pogacar by more than seven minutes, with the Slovenian having broken his wrist 2-1/2 months before the Tour.

Pogacar emerged triumphant at last years edition, when Vingegaards preparation was hampered by a freak crash a few months before