ROME – Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard made history on Sunday by winning the Giro d’Italia, becoming the eighth male rider to achieve victory in all three Grand Tours— the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España.
Competing for Team Visma-Lease a Bike, Vingegaard concluded the intense three-week race with an impressive overall lead of 5 minutes and 22 seconds over second-place Felix Gall. Australian cyclist Jai Hindley secured third place, finishing 6 minutes and 25 seconds behind the champion.
Vingegaard’s victory in the Giro marks a significant milestone in his career, as he previously won the Tour de France in both 2022 and 2023 and claimed his first Spanish Vuelta title in 2022. This was his inaugural win at the Giro d’Italia.
“It’s amazing. It’s something I’ve dreamt of my whole life and to now be able to do it, it’s something special,” Vingegaard expressed in an emotional first interview as the Giro winner. “I’m lost for words.”
Describing the atmosphere during the final stage, he added, “It was a really special day, with so many people on the side of the road, so many spectators, it was really incredible. To get the honor to wear the maglia rosa in the streets of Rome is something special. With these last three weeks, it’s just such a nice way to end this race.”
Upon crossing the finish line in Rome, the 29-year-old Vingegaard shared a heartfelt moment with his wife and two children, who proudly wore replicas of his maglia rosa—the coveted pink jersey awarded to the race leader.
“Yeah, that’s even nicer, it also gives me tears in my eyes, they’re always there for me,” he said, reflecting on the support of his family. Throughout the race, Vingegaard celebrated his five stage victories by kissing a photo of his family attached to his bicycle handlebars, followed by a kiss on his wedding ring.
Vingegaard also brought his children onto the podium, where he received the prestigious Trofeo Senza Fine (Trophy With No End), a testament to his remarkable achievement.
Having dominated the Giro and lived up to his status as the pre-race favorite, Vingegaard now sets his sights on the upcoming Tour de France, where he aims to become only the ninth cyclist to achieve the Giro-Tour double in the same year.
However, he will face fierce competition from cycling’s elite, including Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar. Pogacar, who opted out of the Giro to focus on his Tour ambitions, made headlines in 2024 by becoming the first cyclist in 26 years to successfully complete the Giro-Tour double.
The final stage of the Giro, which was largely processional, consisted of eight laps through Rome and was won by sprint specialist Jonathan Milan. Milan’s victory capped off a competitive three-week event, signaling his persistence after previous missed opportunities during the race.
“I’m super happy to end this Giro in this way,” Milan said. “It’s beautiful. After three weeks that we were looking for this, winning the last stage in Rome means that we were keeping the head there, we never give up, we always keep fighting for the victory, we were always believing in it, we always believe in each other.”
___
AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling
