“I almost didn’t have to attack” - Jonas Vingegaard hails Visma masterclass after seizing first Maglia Rosa at Giro d’Italia

Jonas Vingegaard’s first Maglia Rosa arrived with the force of a team performance as much as an individual attack. After days of waiting behind Afonso Eulalio, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader finally moved into pink on Stage 14 of the Giro d’Italia, taking his third stage win of the race at Pila after his team controlled the mountain stage from the opening kilometres.

The Dane made the decisive move inside the final five kilometres, but by then Visma had already pulled the race apart. Tim Rex, Bart Lemmen, Victor Campenaerts, Sepp Kuss and Davide Piganzoli all played their part before Vingegaard finished the job himself, with Felix Gall limiting his losses behind and Eulalio eventually losing the race lead after more than a week in pink.

Speaking after the finish, Vingegaard made clear how much the victory had been built around Visma’s pre-stage plan rather than a spontaneous late attack. “I think this stage is the one I will remember the most,” Vingegaard said in his flash interview. “We made a plan from the start with the team. We wanted to control the race. That's what my team-mates did. They did an incredible job the whole day.”

Visma’s control was visible from the first climb, with the team refusing to let a strong breakaway build an unmanageable advantage. By the time the race reached the final climb to Pila, the escape was close enough to be brought back and the GC group had already been thinned heavily.

“It was really impressive how they rode,” Vingegaard continued. “I'm so proud of my team-mates and I'm proud that I could pay them back. It's a super nice win.”

The final set-up came from Piganzoli, who delivered the last major turn before Vingegaard accelerated away. The Italian has been one of Visma’s key mountain workers throughout this Giro, but his ride on Stage 14 also moved him into the top 10 overall.

Vingegaard admitted that Piganzoli’s final pull almost made the attack unnecessary. “We said we wanted to try when it got steeper in the end and Piganzoli almost rode everyone out of my wheel so I didn't have to try,” he said. “That was really impressive, not only by him but the whole team.”

The win gives Vingegaard his third stage victory of this Giro and, more importantly, his first spell in the Maglia Rosa. He now leads Eulalio by 2:26, with Gall moving onto the podium ahead of Arensman after limiting his losses on Pila. Hindley and Pellizzari also climbed inside the top six on a stronger day for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, while Piganzoli’s huge support ride lifted him into the top 10 for Visma. Stage 14 did not blow the Giro apart completely behind Vingegaard, but it has decisively shifted the race into his hands.