In the past, when Tour de France riders have been questioned about the legitimacy of their results, their responses have been ridiculed when they say “I’ve never tested positive”.
During today’s winner’s press conference, new yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard was also asked that question, as befits a sports competition with years of recent history where the result has been erased from the record.
Eyebrows raised, a little taken aback by the bluntness of the question, his answer was clear.
“We’re totally clean,” he said. “Each of us. I can tell each of you. None of us are taking anything illegal. I think what makes us so good is the preparation we do. We do altitude camps at the maximum pass. We do everything with materials, with food, with training; the team is really the best within this. So yes, that’s why you have to trust us.”
After Vingegaard had left the stage in the press room, he was replaced by Wout van Aert, who had been sitting quietly during the press conference, looking at his phone.
The winner of the green jersey, all three stages and the overall combativeness award was also asked the same question, all operating as a home key for Vingegaard, one of the most complete performances in the history of the race.
We can rely on Jumbo-Visma’s dominant performance this Tour and considering Jonas’ statement that the team is “totally clean”, what do you have to say about that?
“I have no words to answer that question,” Van Aert replied bluntly. “It’s such a crappy question. It comes back every time after someone wins.”
His answer was refuted. “I think it’s a fair question. Jonas gave his answer: He didn’t think it was a crappy question, he thought it was a fair question.”
“Now, because we’re acting at this level,” Van Aert replied, “do we have to defend ourselves? We’ve worked very hard on this. Cycling has changed. I don’t like that we continue to have to respond to these things. We have of passing controls every time of the year, not just at the Tour de France: they come to our house. It’s not like we came out of nowhere.”
After the press conference, Jumbo-Visma’s press officer reiterated the cleanliness of the team when leaving the press room. Wout van Aert also stopped by to explain that he didn’t like the way the question was phrased: that he believes it was asked under the assumption that he and the team are not clean.
A completely victorious team in this Tour de France, two different ways of answering the same question, indicative of the personalities of the two strongest riders in the Tour.