Jonas Vingegaard has pushed back at remarks about his attitude to racing made by French legend Bernard Hinault, the 10-time Grand Tour winner - including five Tours de France - and former road race world champion.
Hinault previously told Danish media outlet Ekstra Bladet that Vingegaard did not appear to enjoy races as much as his rivals, who he suggested had a much better attitude towards competing.
He said Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal QuickStep) appeared to be more enthusiastic and he wondered if that was a problem for Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) when he races against them.
"Vingegaard gives the impression of not liking races as much as a Pogacar or an Evenepoel," Hinault told Ekstra Bladet. "Riders like races, don't they? I wonder if he likes them enough."
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However, Vingegaard has now said he believes Hinault did not appreciate what had been thrown at him this year, namely his crash at Itzulia Basque Country (2.UWT) in early April.
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The Dane suffered multiple fractures and a puncture lung and did not race again for almost three months, with his first event back the Tour de France.
Though he finished 2nd overall to Pogacar, and won a stage, Vingegaard suggested it was a bit much to expect him to be back in top shape for the French Grand Tour this year.
"When you say something like that, maybe you don't consider what happened to me this year," Vingegaard said of Hinault's comments.
"It's obvious that if I hadn't had that crash, I would have competed in more races. That's the way it is. I don't think he thinks about the consequences for me, which is that I crashed and then had to prepare for the Tour de France.
"A cycling season is about giving and taking and dealing with the availabilities," he added. "With that crash, I don't think you can expect me to be at my best for the rest of the season. I also don't think he knows how bad it was. I think many underestimate what it took to prepare for the Tour de France."
