ON TOUR WITH THE VINGEGAARDS

Jonas Vingegaard's parents are joined by Tom Thewlis on the roadside in the Pyrenees to watch their son in action on stage six of the Tour de France

"He’s doing it again!” says Karina Vingegaard, tears rolling down her cheeks as she clasps her head in her hands. Karina and I, along with her husband, Claus, have just watched their only son Jonas hurtle past us in a blaze of yellow and black as he thunders down the valley road towards Laruns, putting serious time into his rival Tadej Pogačar as he attempts to defend the Tour de France title.

For me, for you, it’s a journey that began less than a week ago. Or maybe, a journey that began a year ago when he won his first Tour so emphatically. But Karina’s moistened cheeks are a stark reminder that for her it’s a journey that started well over a decade ago. It’s impossible not to be moved by it. My eyes begin to well up. Moments ago we sat quietly around their iPad screen enjoying an afternoon drink as we watched the race unfold. Now the two people that had been calm, collected and relaxed a moment ago are leaping up and down and clapping.

“Gå Jonas!” they both scream at the top of their lungs as their son speeds past within arm’s length in a blur of black and yellow. “I feel very, very good right now,” says Claus as he punches the air with delight. He sips a celebratory cold lager, a huge smile spreading across his face as he turns back to the road to watch more riders tear past.

Just as they did last summer, Claus and Karina have travelled over from Thy in northern Denmark to follow Jonas’s journey from Bilbao to Paris.

Minutes earlier Jonas had launched his attack on the Col de Marie-Blanque, quickly pulling away from Pogačar and chasing down virtual race leader Jai Hindley. Both Claus and Karina them sit and lean towards the screen, absolutely transfixed by what’s going a few miles up the road.