Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) has withdrawn from the UAE Tour after a training crash followed by illness ruled out his planned season debut, his team confirmed on Friday.
The two-time Tour de France champion was due to use the WorldTour stage race, which runs from February 16–22, as his first competitive outing of 2026. The decision removes a general classification matchup with Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) from the only WorldTour race in the Middle East.
"I was really looking forward to returning to the UAE Tour and am therefore disappointed that we have had to make this decision," Vingegaard said. "However, the combination of the crash and subsequent illness made it necessary. It is better to fully recover first so that I can then focus on my next goals."
The Danish rider crashed during a training descent near Málaga on January 26. According to reports, the incident was triggered by an amateur cyclist who was following Vingegaard too closely on the descent. While initial assessments indicated no major fractures, the physical trauma disrupted his training.
In the aftermath, Visma | Lease a Bike issued a public appeal for amateur riders to give professional athletes "space and peace" during training sessions.
Vingegaard's recovery was further complicated when he contracted an illness approximately one week after the crash.
Recent injuries and schedule changes
The withdrawal follows two consecutive seasons disrupted by serious crashes for the 29-year-old. In 2024, he suffered life-threatening injuries at the Itzulia Basque Country, including multiple fractures and a collapsed lung. The following year, a crash at Paris-Nice resulted in a concussion that ended his spring campaign in early March.
Vingegaard's primary objective for 2026 is the Giro-Tour double, the rare attempt to win both Grand Tours in a single season. The loss of the UAE Tour removes seven days of high-level racing from his preparation and narrows his build-up window.
His season debut is now expected at the Volta a Catalunya in March, currently the only race on his schedule before the Giro d'Italia.
The UAE Tour features a mix of sprint stages, a 12.2km individual time trial on stage two, and two decisive summit finishes, including the traditional climb to Jebel Hafeet on stage six. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won the 2025 edition.
With Vingegaard absent, Evenepoel is likely to lead the list of general classification contenders. The Belgian, who has remained healthy throughout the early 2026 season, has a strong record in time trials and on final mountain stages.
Cover image credit: Tony Esnault
