“We truly believe we can do something special at this race,” said a senior member of Visma-Lease a Bike’s staff on the morning of the Tour de France’s opening team time trial in Barcelona. “Honestly, there is something spectacular planned for Jonas in the third week.”

The two-time Tour winner never got that chance. Vingegaard’s race ended in the final 20km of stage 15 after suffering a broken collarbone. The final images of his participation in the race were of the Dane sitting on the tarmac cradling his arm, before being led, pale-faced, off the course.

By that point, almost five minutes down on yellow jersey Tadej Pogačar, the Tour may already have been done — save for an incomprehensible effort over Alpe d’Huez, or misfortune to Pogacar himself.

But it is inarguable that the Tour is a poorer race without Vingegaard having the opportunity to try — the man whose rivalry with Pogačar will define this era of cycling, another of the aliens that wears a human face.

“I just talked to my family a little bit,” Vingegaard told Danish broadcaster TV2 after crashing. “That was the most important thing for me. We’ve come up with a plan for what’s going to happen now, and I’ve talked to some of the team. It’s no use hanging your head. It just makes it worse.”

🎙️ Are you in pain, or how are you feeling?
🗣️ Jonas Vingegaard: “Yes, a little, I mean I can definitely feel it. I’ve had some painkillers, so they have given me something for the pain, but it’s actually okay.” [TV 2 Sport] pic.twitter.com/Zh1Z0Rumlj

— #TeamVingegaard (@vingeupdates) July 19, 2026

His body language was that of an exhausted man. As he spoke outside, hours before returning home to Denmark, it is fair to ask when he will be coming back to the Tour de France.

Now, Vingegaard is still the second-best climber in the world — the reigning champion of both the Vuelta a España and Giro d’Italia — but the 29-year-old has always been open about the impact of cycling on his wider life. This is an all-consuming sport; Vingegaard often swims to escape the mouth of the whale.

Speaking to TV2 on the race’s first rest day, he revealed that he had already considered retirement last year — mentioning his weight, the time spent training, the toll on his body. Visma are known as one of the more rigid teams in the peloton in terms of flexibility within a riders’ training structure.

“I said last year that if this was how it was going to be, I couldn’t be in it anymore,“ Vingegaard told them. I also think the team realised that this was how it was, and they could also tell from me that I wasn’t happy last year. They accepted that we had to change something, and we did.”

During the 2025 Tour, Vingegaard’s wife Trine made a similar point: that his work was “squeezing the lemon too much” and that “he needs to recharge to perform at his best.”

Strong and sincere words from Tadej for Jonas, forced to abandon. 💛

Au-delà de la rivalité, Tadej rend hommage à Jonas après son abandon. 🤝#TDF2026 pic.twitter.com/KuDXjLZiFQ

— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 19, 2026

For all the riches Vingegaard has earned, this perspective is understandable, especially in the context of the horrific crash he suffered at the 2024 Basque Itzulia, in which he punctured both lungs and broke several ribs. After taking yellow on this Tour’s opening day, he said it “will always be part of my book, me lying there on the ground, believing that I’m going to die”.

A broken collarbone is a less serious injury, but every rider has their limit. This is the third successive Tour that Pogačar has dominated, with Vingegaard further away than ever over the past two weeks. His final completed day’s racing, stage 14, ended with Isaac del Toro and Paul Seixas outsprinting him for second and third. If not a sign that the future has already arrived, it is a sign that it is coming up fast.

Jonas Vingegaard took yellow on stage one of this year’s Tour but it was the high point of his race. (Jeff Pachoud / AFP via Getty Images)

Vingegaard has little unfinished business. He has won every major stage-racing prize in the sport, and appears to hold scant interest in one-day races. It is difficult, right now, to see him winning another Tour de France while Pogačar, the younger man at 27, remains in such imperious form. A window appears to be closing.

At Visma, meanwhile, there is internal turmoil for the first time. Several key figures have left — such as head of racing Grischa Niermann, sporting director Merijn Zeeman, and Vingegaard’s long-time coach Tim Heemskerk, who said he was “struggling to continue applying creativity and passion.” They are still lacking a title sponsor for next season, though there are no ongoing financial concerns.

These are factors why it would not be a total surprise if Vingegaard walked away — but the sport would be far sadder for it. It is not that he should; it is fearing that he will. Vingegaard is extremely unlikely to bow out like Chris Froome, who confirmed his retirement two days before the start of the Tour, aged 41, after struggling at Israel-Premier Tech for the past five years.

Instead, it is far easier to see him through the lens of riders such as Tom Dumoulin and Simon Yates, retired at 31 and 33 respectively, who both had Visma-Lease a Bike as their final team.

But another possibility is making a change. There has been chatter in the Tour paddock about a mega-offer from Scandinavian team Uno-X Mobility — who have enjoyed an excellent Tour having claimed both a stage win through Søren Wærenskjold and held yellow with Torstein Træen, who want to make the Dane the face of their project — potentially providing more time in Denmark. Vingegaard is a rare professional cyclist who still trains and resides where he grew up, rather than the popular enclaves of Girona, Monaco, and Andorra.

Jonas Vingegaard added the Giro d’Italia to his palmares in May this year. (Luca Bettini / AFP via Getty Images)

Vingegaard is a considered man, not known to rush into decisions. A broken collarbone, in modern cycling, is an injury that can be returned from in six weeks, unhurriedly, and especially when operated on as the Dane’s has been.

His program for the rest of the season will be revealing — whether he targets some of the autumn’s key one-day races, such as a hilly world championships course in Montreal, or the Italian Monument Il Lombardia, or if this is his season over. The latter will only raise speculation.

The hope, as a rider under contract, and still of supreme ability — still generating the second-best climbing numbers in the history of the sport — is that he continues. After all, Vingegaard is more invested in results than he often lets on.

“From afar, you wouldn’t say that he cares about all the victories he’s won,” his friend Nathan Van Hooydonck, a former Visma rider who still works for the team’s commercial department, told The Athletic a few days before the crash. “But he can name all 50 of them.”

His team, and others, should pray this setback is little more than a footnote, rather than a new chapter of Vingegaard’s book. For the first time since achieving his five successive Tour podiums, Vingegaard stands at a crossroads. How much does he want to continue chasing?

The World Cup is over but there are still more than six weeks to go in the transfer window. Here are 58 players to keep an eye on for the rest of the summer.

Julian Alvarez

Barcelona are desperate to sign the forward, but Atletico Madrid insist there will be no sale. The 26-year-old says he wants to leave – and his preference is Barca. Arsenal are keen and will be watching on closely. His contract includes a £426m release clause.

Carlos Baleba

Manchester United are looking to add a third midfielder, who can cover ground well. Brighton’s 22-year-old is one of the options they have considered. Notoriously tough salesmen at the Amex, it is unlikely the Cameroon international will come cheap.

Folarin Balogun

Made headlines at the World Cup for the wrong reasons after US president Donald Trump’s intervention over his red card but had a quietly impressive tournament up to that point. The Monaco striker, formerly on Arsenal’s books, could be on the move.

Bradley Barcola

The France winger, who has interest from Liverpool and Arsenal, is not entirely happy with his current role at PSG. If he wishes to go – and a club meets his valuation – then there is a real chance of a transfer as the 23-year-old has just two years left on his deal.

Lucas Bergvall

The 20-year-old wants to leave Tottenham, and they have received offers from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle for the midfielder. Spurs are understood to be open to selling for the right price but expected to hold out for a big fee.

Ayyoub Bouaddi

Manchester City are showing interest in the Morocco midfielder after his impressive performance at the World Cup this summer. The 18-year-old is also one of the names on the list at Manchester United. It remains to be seen if Lille will let him go now.

Julian Brandt

Leeds are in an ongoing pursuit for the free-agent midfielder after he left Borussia Dortmund. The 30-year-old’s father and representative, Jurgen, has visited the club’s training ground as part of those talks, but Daniel Farke’s side face significant competition for his signature.

Trevoh Chalobah

Como have been trying to close a deal with Chelsea for the England defender. As things stand, there is a gap in valuation between the two clubs after Chelsea rejected two offers from Como for the 27-year-old, who effectively has three years left on his deal.

Yan Diomande

PSG opened talks with RB Leizpig for the 19-year-old after he indicated his preference to move to the French capital. Liverpool had made him their top winger target, but their £86m offer was not enough for Leipzig, who want to keep him for another year.

Harvey Elliott

Crystal Palace are one of the clubs monitoring the midfielder’s situation after his difficult season on loan at Aston Villa. Liverpool’s new boss Andoni Iraola is giving all the players a fresh slate this summer which could give the 23-year-old a second chance at Anfield.

Pervis Estupinan

Aston Villa are in negotiations with AC Milan to bring the left-back back to the Premier League as a replacement for PSG-bound Lucas Digne. Milan signed Estupinan from Brighton for £17.5m but they are already happy to let him go.

Enzo Fernandez

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso wants to keep the midfielder, who has not hidden his desire for a move. It would take more than £100m for Chelsea to sell and Real Madrid have ruled themselves out of signing him. Who else can afford the Argentinian?

Matias Fernandez-Pardo

The Lille forward has been attracting interest from Barcelona and Inter Milan, while he is also on the lists of Premier League clubs this summer. The 21-year-old was used as an impact substitute by Belgium at the World Cup as they reached the quarter-finals.

Cody Gakpo

The Liverpool forward was a favourite of former head coach Arne Slot but it remains to be seen how Iraola sees him fitting into his plans amid links to Spurs. Last season was tough for the Dutchman and he will be hoping for improvement this time around.

Alejandro Garnacho

Chelsea are already open to letting the winger go, less than a year on from his £40m arrival from Manchester United, and Roma are among the clubs interested in him. He is valued at around £42m by Chelsea.

Evann Guessand

Crystal Palace let their £28m option to buy for the Aston Villa forward expire after his loan but have not ruled out re-signing him later in the summer. Still well regarded at Palace, they simply had other priorities at the time. Unlikely to continue at Villa.

Bruno Guimaraes

Newcastle’s captain has told them he wants to leave and join Arsenal – but they insist he is not for sale. It is uncertain if the Premier League champions would be willing to pay enough to get a deal done after exploring a potential deal via intermediaries.

Malo Gusto

The Chelsea defender has been linked with a move to Manchester City this summer but nothing has materialised thus far. Now the France international is back from the World Cup we’re set to get more answers around the role Xabi Alonso sees for him at Chelsea.

Lewis Hall

Manchester United want to sign the left-back this summer but are likely to face a fight from Newcastle, whose stance that he is not for sale will likely only have strengthened since losing two key players. Could the 21-year-old be Luke Shaw’s long-term successor?

Nicolas Jackson

The Chelsea striker spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich and may well be on the move again this summer. Aston Villa retain their interest from last summer and Chelsea are expected to make big sales in this window. Worked with Unai Emery at Villarreal.

Gabriel Jesus

Arsenal are willing to listen to offers for the striker, who has entered the final year of his deal, and would be seeking around £18m-£20m for a permanent sale. The Brazilian has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates with Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres favoured.

Curtis Jones

Inter have made the Liverpool man their top midfield target this summer – but it remains to be seen if they can satisfy the Premier League club’s demands. The 25-year-old will not come cheap in a summer when midfielders are being signed for more than £100m.

Vinicius Junior

The Real Madrid star has entered the final year of his deal and unless he can agree a new contract it seems unlikely that the Spanish giants would risk letting him leave on a free transfer in 12 months’ time. Could he move to the Premier League?

Manu Kone

The France midfielder caught the eye at the World Cup and is now being linked with a move to the Premier League. Roma do not want to sell and have ambitious plans for the window but if a decent offer came from England they would have to think about it.

Ezri Konsa

Reports have linked Arsenal with a move for the England defender. Aston Villa have already lost a number of key players and would surely be reluctant to sell the 28-year-old, who has two years left on his contract.

Mateo Kovacic

The 32-year-old was restricted to nine appearances for Manchester City last season because of injury problems. The midfielder is now approaching the final year of his deal and it is so far unclear what the arrival of Enzo Maresca will mean for his future.

Eli Junior Kroupi

Bournemouth are adamant the 20-year-old forward is going nowhere despite interest from top clubs in Europe. Spurs are the latest to join the race with Arsenal, Man City, Barcelona and Real Madrid also monitoring him after an impressive debut season.

Maxence Lacroix

Chelsea are in talks with Crystal Palace for the France defender. Palace would seek more than the £55m Spurs signed Jan Paul van Hecke if they were to sell the 26-year-old. There are good relations between the clubs at the highest level.

Rafael Leao

AC Milan are open to the possibility of selling the Portugal winger if an interested club can meet their valuation of between £51m and £60m. Talks are expected to take place with the 27-year-old and his current club following his post-World Cup break.

Tino Livramento

With only two years on his deal, Newcastle will hope to address the full-back’s future soon. Arsenal and Manchester City have previously held an interest. The England international’s continued injury problems may count against him getting a move.

Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal are planning to make significant sales this summer and the Brazilian winger continues to be linked with an exit. Leandro Trossard has already joined Besiktas for £18m and it remains to be seen what impact that has on his former team-mate.

Emiliano Martinez

It is uncertain if Juventus will be able to afford the Aston Villa goalkeeper. A source has told Sky Sports News that the Italians’ valuation of the 33-year-old is more like that of a League One keeper than a World Cup winner. He has a contract until 2029.

Ibrahim Mbaye

The 18-year-old PSG forward is considered one of the best up-and-coming talents in Europe, but he is struggling for game time with the European champions, which has led to interest from Aston Villa as he seeks a club where he will start regularly.

Daniel Munoz

The Crystal Palace right-back has two years left on his deal and has previously been linked with Manchester United. The Colombia international, who shone at the World Cup, said in November that it would be a “dream” to play for a top European club.

Iliman Ndiaye

Everton are yet to agree a new deal with the forward, who is on Manchester United’s list. It is understood that the Toffees are not concerned about the 26-year-old’s future with three years left on his deal.

Antonio Nusa

RB Leipzig do not consider Norway’s World Cup star untouchable, but their preference is to keep him. Their asking price for the winger is around £51m. The 21-year-old’s move to Brentford collapsed in January 2024. Could this be the year he moves to the Premier League?

Ethan Nwaneri

The 19-year-old is back at Arsenal having spent the second half of last season on loan at Marseille. He has the chance to prove himself in pre-season given most of Arsenal’s forwards are still recovering from the World Cup, but his future is unclear.

Michael Olise

In June, Real Madrid publicly said they had not held talks with the Bayern Munich attacker but did not deny their interest or rule out a move. The German champions do not want to sell the 24-year-old and believe he would like to stay despite reports to the contrary.

Joao Palhinha

The midfielder has returned to Bayern Munich after Spurs opted against turning his loan into a permanent move. Aston Villa are interested but face competition from Portugal, with his former club Sporting and Benfica keen on the 31-year-old.

Ricardo Pepi

The PSV Eindhoven striker saw a move to Fulham in January fall through, but it is understood the west London club retain an interest in the United States international, who did not score at the World Cup.

Marcus Rashford

Barcelona allowed their £26m option to buy the forward to expire and have now spent more than £95m to sign Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi in his position this summer. As things stand, the 28-year-old will return to Man Utd after his World Cup break.

Richarlison

With a year left on his deal, the Brazilian could be set for a Spurs exit. Juventus are reportedly interested in the 29-year-old, who joined Tottenham for £60m. Spurs will not be getting their money back, but it feels like the time is right for both parties to move on.

Rodri

Spain’s World Cup-winning captain is back to his best after claiming the award for the tournament’s best player. With just a year left on his Man City deal, it is a pivotal summer for the 30-year-old, who has said he would like to return to LaLiga amid interest from Real Madrid.

Cristian Romero

There is an expectation that Tottenham’s captain will leave this summer, but it remains to be seen if anyone is willing to meet his valuation. His injury in the World Cup final for Argentina could complicate matters further. Spurs’ two centre-back signings leave little room for the skipper.

Carl Rushworth

Coventry are working hard to re-sign the English goalkeeper after his loan last season but Brighton are living up to their billing as tough negotiators. Any deal for the 25-year-old is expected to be significantly more than £20m.

Jadon Sancho

A free agent after his Man Utd contract expired. The England international’s star has fallen significantly since his £73m move to Old Trafford in July 2021 from Borussia Dortmund, for whom he could sign for a third time after indicating a willingness to join them.

Savinho

Tottenham spent heavily in defence and midfield, but they need attacking reinforcements now, and the Manchester City winger is a target. The 22-year-old has been of interest to Spurs for a year, so will this be the summer they finally land the Brazil international?

Andreas Schjelderup

He is another attacker Tottenham have been linked with. The left-winger had an eye-catching World Cup for Norway as he scored the opener in their quarter-final defeat to England. Reports suggest he wants to leave Benfica, who would reportedly demand £42.5m for him.

Alex Scott

The midfielder has turned down a new contract at Bournemouth amid interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United. Bournemouth are adamant he is not for sale, but with two years to run on his contract, they face a fight to keep him.

Alexander Sorloth

The Atletico Madrid striker could be set for an exit this summer, with Sky in Italy reporting Juventus have an interest in the 30-year-old. The ex-Crystal Palace forward could even look to return to the Premier League having been linked with Everton.

Djed Spence

An England cult hero at the World Cup could now be set for a new club. Everton have an interest in the Tottenham defender, while Inter Milan are also admirers of Spence, who is likely to be second choice behind Pedro Porro at Spurs.

Angelo Stiller

The midfielder has two years left on his Stuttgart contract, making a potential move this summer more likely. The 25-year-old, who was part of Germany’s World Cup squad, has been linked with a move to Newcastle, who desperately need midfield reinforcements.

John Stones

A strong World Cup showing with England will make him an attractive free agent signing this summer after his Man City contract expired. The 32-year-old could become the latest English recruit in Serie A with Inter Milan and Juventus showing interest in him.

Crysencio Summerville

The forward looks certain to move following West Ham’s relegation. Roma are pushing to close a deal, while it remains to be seen if one of his other admirers will make a rival bid. Man Utd cannot pursue their interest unless Marcus Rashford is sold.

James Trafford

Aston Villa, Leeds and Newcastle are among the clubs keen on the City goalkeeper, who was used as back-up under Pep Guardiola last season. Regular game time is likely to be a decisive factor as the England international weighs up his future.

Guglielmo Vicario

Expected to move on from Spurs this summer with Antonin Kinsky poised to become first-choice goalkeeper full-time and Martin Dubravka brought in to be his deputy. The Italian has two years on his deal and is generating plenty of interest back in Serie A.

Ollie Watkins

Fenerbahce are among the clubs interested in the England striker, who has entered the final two years of his contract at Aston Villa. At 30, this could be the last chance for Villa to generate funds from his sale. Can Emery’s side stomach another key departure?

Adam Wharton

The Crystal Palace midfielder is on the lists of several top Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Manchester City and United. Liverpool have previously been credited with an interest, but midfield is less of a priority. Wharton has three years left on his deal.

The article below is taken from the wider Transfer DealSheet, which you can read in full here. 

Arsenal

What happened to Arsenal’s pursuit of Morgan Rogers?

Rogers was a clear priority for Arsenal in this window. They carried out extensive background work on the deal, with Rogers subject to a charm offensive from Mikel Arteta and Arsenal players. Arteta believed Rogers could bring a new dimension to the Arsenal attack.

Throughout this process, however, Arsenal did not want to go beyond £80million ($107m) for the 23-year-old.

Villa’s insistence on a fee above £116m naturally led to a stand-off. Chelsea took advantage, meeting Villa’s demands and wrapping up a deal in the space of 48 hours. Although Arsenal had believed they were Rogers’ preference, he was open to joining either club and personal terms proved no issue.

Once Chelsea had met Villa’s valuation, Arsenal were contacted to see whether they would be prepared to match the bid. They declined.

Arsenal did not want to spend more than £80m on Morgan Rogers (Nicolo Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Who might they move for instead?

Arsenal will now turn to alternative targets. France winger Bradley Barcola is one of several attackers on sporting director Andrea Berta’s radar, although Paris Saint-Germain are reluctant to sell and value him above £100million.

Arteta remains a huge admirer of Argentina forward Julian Alvarez, but Atletico Madrid’s position remains that the 26-year-old is not for sale.

How does Christos Tzolis fit into the picture?

Arsenal have agreed a £34m fee with Club Brugge for 24-year-old Greece international Christos Tzolis. Although also predominantly a left-winger, their pursuit of Tzolis was always separate to any bid for Rogers. Tzolis effectively replaces Leandro Trossard, who has joined Besiktas for €20million (£17.1m, $22.9m).

Arsenal have agreed a £34m fee for Christos Tzolis (Bruno Fahy/Belga/AFP via Getty Images)

What other positions/players are they looking at?

Arsenal maintain their interest in Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes. Again, Arsenal have a clear valuation for the player, and will only proceed if Newcastle are willing to negotiate within those parameters. Otherwise, Arsenal will move on to other targets.

Concerns over William Saliba’s fitness may intensify Arsenal’s search for defensive reinforcements. Aston Villa and England’s Ezri Konsa is a target — but once again, there is a significant gap between Arsenal and Villa’s valuations.

Who might leave the club?

Trossard has said an emotional goodbye to Arsenal and been unveiled at Besiktas.

The first wave of Arsenal squad have reconvened at the club’s London Colney training ground. The group includes Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Jesus, who are among the players Arsenal are hoping to sell this summer.

James McNicholas