'Exhausted' Vingegaard to miss Vuelta a Espana
![Jonas Vingegaard will miss cycling's third Grand Tour this year after a gruelling Tour de France. (AP PHOTO)](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/C-15437321/41de54571adca4c0e88eca73f64b87b5df226627-16x9-x0y0w1280h720.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
An "exhausted" Jonas Vingegaard will miss cycling's Vuelta a Espana, after finishing second in the Tour de France.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar became the first rider since 1998 to achieve the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France double, winning his third tour title on Sunday by defeating the defending champion Vingegaard by more than six minutes.
The Dane, who won the last two tours, entered this year's event after a three-month hiatus following serious injuries, including punctured lungs and multiple fractures, in a race crash in April.
The 27-year-old never really appeared like he could retain his title after the injuries, though he did secure a stage win.
"I'm tired, I don't think I've ever been this tired after a Grand Tour before. To be honest, I'm exhausted," Vingegaard told Eurosport.
"Of course I want to come back and win it again. I think now I need a bit of rest."
"Unfortunately I will not be at the start of the Vuelta a Espana. I have different priorities this year, but for sure I will be there again in the future.
"It's been quite some journey because it's only three and a half months ago I had the worst crash of my career, breaking almost every bone in the upper right side of my body, and puncturing both lungs."
Vingegaard's teammate Sepp Kuss will look to defend his title in the Vuelta, which begins on August 17, after missing the Tour de France due to COVID.
Vingegaard will not be competing at the Olympic Games either, with Mads Pedersen, Mattias Skjelmose, Michael Morkov and Mikkel Bjerg chosen to represent Denmark.
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