Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) escaped serious injury after crashing during a training ride in Spain on Monday, his team has confirmed.
The two-time Tour de France champion was seen at the roadside with facial bleeding following a fall near Málaga. According to comments made on Strava and reported by Belgian outlet HLN, Vingegaard was observed leaning against a guardrail after the incident.
"Fortunately, he is okay and did not sustain any serious injuries," the team said in a statement issued on Tuesday on social media.
The crash occurred on a technical descent, with reports indicating Vingegaard was travelling at approximately 45 km/h when his front wheel slipped on a twisty section of road.
Team issues safety plea
Visma-Lease a Bike used the announcement to address concerns in professional cycling about amateur riders following pros during training.
"In general, as a team we would like to urge fans on bikes to always put safety first," the team said. "For both your own and others’ wellbeing, please allow riders to train and give them as much space and peace as possible."
According to accounts shared on Strava, an amateur cyclist had been following Vingegaard on the descent prior to the crash. The rider acknowledged on Strava that Vingegaard appeared to be accelerating to create distance, amid a backlash on the platform around following a pro rider's wheel.
"When I stopped to ask him how he was, he got angry with me for following him down the hill," the Strava user wrote.
Vingegaard is in Spain for a January training camp, a standard preparation block for Grand Tour contenders building base fitness ahead of the season. His 2026 campaign is scheduled to begin at the UAE Tour on February 16, with the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France to follow.
There are three weeks between the crash and his season debut. The team indicated no changes to his racing calendar.
