April 20, 2022

2022 EUROPEAN FAIR PLAY MOVEMENT “FAIR PLAY SPECIAL AWARD” goes to JONAS VINGEGAARD (DEN)

Jonas Vingegaard won the 2022 edition of the Tour de France, but he also won over cycling fans everywhere with a heartwarming display of sportsmanship. The Yellow Jersey holder finished with an overall race lead of three minutes and 26 seconds ahead of two-time Tour title holder Tadej Pogacar but the margin could have been far bigger if it weren’t for an amazing moment during a steep descent near the end of the stage. The pair were pushing each other to the limit as they rode down the Col de Spandelles when Pogacar – who was desperately trying to bridge the gap to the Dane – went into a corner too fast, ran wide and crashed as he lost traction in the gravel. But instead of riding off to ensure he’d win the stage, Vingegaard decided to wait for the Slovenian to recover and catch up to him, with the pair shaking hands once they were on level pegging again. This is a prime example of true sportsmanship.

Such cases prove the quality of the athlete and the person beyond the competition rules and are a bright example of what we proudly call Fair Play.

Photo: Alen Milavec (SLO)