“I don’t think we’re the only team here" - Jonas Vingegaard shrugs off pressure to pursuit victory at Corno alle Scale

Stage 9 of the Giro d’Italia 2026 could mark a first major turning point in the battle for the overall. With a summit finish at Corno alle Scale and a chance to take both the stage and the maglia rosa, Jonas Vingegaard faced the start with a cautious message, steering clear of any sense of absolute control over the race.

Even in a relaxed setting, with questions about the eye-catching moustache he has started to grow, the Dane kept his usual calm tone. “I guess I’m just a bit lazy about shaving,” he joked in words to Cycling Pro Net. He admitted he will probably shave it off later, but the detail helped break the ice before turning to the sporting analysis of a key day.

Vingegaard starts as one of the top favourites for the stage with a summit finish that has its final 3 kilometers at a 10% gradient. However, the Dane refused to assume the role of sole protagonist and stressed that the stage outcome will depend on many collective factors.

“I don’t think we’re the only team here,” he said when asked if his team would dictate the day, either letting a break go or racing the win among the GC men. “There are many other teams, so we’re not the only ones deciding".

Another pre-stage topic was the mountains blue jersey, currently worn by Vingegaard himself. With the time trial approaching, it could cost him time; but he does not speak out of concern for that.

"It’s nice for me to have the blue jersey, it’s nice to have a jersey to race in. I’m happy for every day I can wear a leader’s jersey.”

On the final ascent to Corno alle Scale, Vingegaard admitted he barely knows it beyond the profile and stage map. “I haven’t seen it before,” he acknowledged. Even so, he anticipated a demanding finale: “It looks like a very hard climb at the end.”

Despite the strong impressions he gives and the general sense he could become the race’s dominant force, Vingegaard dismissed any notion of definitive superiority. “I think I’m in very good shape,” he said when asked if he was better than at last year’s Giro. But he stopped short of calling it peak form. “We’ll see later if I’m at my best or not.”

He was more emphatic when assessing the state of the GC. “I think it’s still quite an open race,” he insisted. The Dane also reminded everyone that he is not yet leading the classification and the gaps remain small. “I don’t have a very big advantage over the other GC riders yet,” he concluded.