Matteo Jorgenson changes plans for Tour de France build-up

Matteo Jorgenson has altered his preparation for the upcoming Tour de France, opting out of the Tour de Suisse, where he had planned to make his debut this June. Instead, the American rider will compete in the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, formerly known as the Critérium du Dauphiné, which takes place earlier in the month. This change shifts his build-up schedule, as the Tour de Suisse has been shortened this year to a five-day event running from June 17 to 21, while the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes will run from June 7 to 14. Jorgenson’s decision comes after a challenging spring season, which included a crash at the Amstel Gold Race that resulted in a broken collarbone and forced him to miss his key spring target, Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Despite these setbacks, he showed strong form earlier in the year with a second-place finish at Tirreno-Adriatico and eighth at Strade Bianche. His role for the Tour de France remains clear: he is expected to support Jonas Vingegaard in his quest for a third title, although Vingegaard himself will not race in June, instead focusing on altitude training ahead of the Tour. The switch in races means Jorgenson will not face off against Tour rival Tadej Pogačar at the Tour de Suisse but will instead compete against a strong field in south-east France, including riders such as Paul Seixas, Juan Ayuso, and Isaac del Toro. The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes will also feature prominent names like Oscar Onley, Kévin Vauquelin, and former winner Dani Martínez. Jorgenson’s team, Visma-Lease a Bike, has yet to confirm their full line-up or provide an official explanation for the change in plans. Earlier in the year, Jorgenson had identified the Tour de Suisse as a deliberate choice to race as a general classification contender and prepare for the Tour de France. Now, with the altered schedule, he will take a different approach to build his form ahead of the race starting in Barcelona on July 4. Meanwhile, Vingegaard’s focus remains on recovery and training, setting the stage for what promises to be another intense battle with Pogačar in July’s Grand Tour.