The Tour de France is known for its grueling physical demands. In such a physically draining and sometimes dangerous sport, rest days are welcomed with open arms by the riders. They give riders and the whole team time to relax and enjoy themselves. Now as the thrilling Tour de France nears its climax, tensions are rising off the track, with two teams engaging in a heated verbal battle.

Jonas Vingegaard, the overall leader and a formidable force in the famed cycling race, finds his name entangled in the controversy. His team, Jumbo-Visma, has been on the receiving end of some strong remarks from the French-based Groupama-FDJ, another prominent team competing in the Tour de France. The controversy erupted on a rest day after both teams were staying at the same hotel.

The latest controversy in the Tour de France

Jonas Vingegaard has been having a great season so far for the Jumbo-Visma team. However, his team locked horns during their recent rest day. The dispute began when Richard Plugge, the team manager of Jumbo-Visma, claimed that riders from Groupama-FDJ were seen consuming large beers during their recent rest day. Plugge emphasized that his team’s remarkable success was due to strict attention to detail. He further claimed that none of his cyclists consume alcohol. According to an ESPN report, he said, “Alcohol is poison, and when you’re tired [and you drink], it makes you more tired.” 

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His comments were not taken lightly by Groupama-FDJ management. In response, Groupama-FDJ’s team manager, Marc Madiot, vehemently defended his riders and lashed out at Plugge’s comments. He denied any allegations of alcohol consumption by his team and declared that he does not care about Plugge’s claims.

Groupama-FDJ’s sports director, Philippe Mauduit, also dismissed the accusations, stating that while riders socialized during the rest day, none of them consumed alcohol. Mauduit further said, “Let him keep his mouth shut! I don’t intend to see him. I don’t care about him. I’m not going to go and see him. I’m angry. It’s pathetic. I don’t watch what he puts in his riders’ bowls.” The timing of these clashes couldn’t be more critical, with Jonas Vingegaard holding a commanding 7-minute, 35-second lead. With the trophy almost in his bag, the Dane is set to claim the ultimate prize at the iconic Champs-Élysées in Paris on Sunday.

Jonas Vingegaard set to win back-to-back Tour de France

Jonas Vingegaard is almost a second-time consecutive winner of the Tour de France. After his impressive performance that saw him defend his overall lead, Sunday’s race is more or less a formality for the Dane. As long as he can avoid accidents, he is on track to win the coveted Tour de France. After beating his rival Pogacar with a magnificent lead of 7 minutes and 29 seconds and perfecting the often challenging mountain terrain, Vingegaard has been impressive this year.

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The controversy has added an extra layer of drama to the Tour. Despite the fiery exchange of words, the riders remain focused on the task ahead, with Vingegaard aiming for his second consecutive Tour de France victory. As the race reaches its climax, the stakes are higher than ever, and it remains to be seen which team will emerge victorious both on and off the track.

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