Vingegaard unhappy with Paris-Nice organizers after poor weather conditions suspends race

Jonas Vingegaard wasn't happy with the race organizers after the 4th stage of the Paris-Nice
Jonas Vingegaard wasn't happy with the race organizers after the 4th stage of the Paris-NiceNico Vereecken / PsnewZ / Profimedia
Despite coming in second on the 4th stage of the Paris-Nice and thereby taking the yellow jersey, Jonas Vingegaard was very displeased with the race organizers who allowed the stage to go ahead even though it was suspended temporarily with 49 km to go.

Along the way, the riders were hit by hail and freezing rain, after which the Extreme Weather Protocol was activated to neutralize the race.

"Of course I'm happy to be in the yellow jersey, that's not it at all. But somehow I never feel like I should have been here. I don't think we should have been on the bike today", said Vingegaard to Danish TV2 after the race. 

Footage emerged from the finish line in La Loges de Gardes, where it was snowing instead of raining. This improved within half an hour, and so the race was resumed with 28 kilometers to go.

However, the peloton had to wait until everyone from the back of the pack was back in position and despite riders getting a change of clothes, they struggled to get warm again as the race was resumed.

"Driving on a downhill, where we all sit and freeze, you can't brake and are about to crash because we can't touch the brakes. In my opinion, the race should not have started again", said Vingegaard after the race. 

The former Tour de France winner explained that it was completely impossible to keep warm on the bike and he he was still cold 30 minutes after the race when he lined up for TV-interviews. 

The UAE-rider Jõao Almeida won the stage just in front of Vingegaard.