"I would love to win that one" - Jonas Vingegaard saves Giro lead and sets sight on Dolomites monster

Jonas Vingegaard is the main favourite for the following two stages of the Giro d'Italia, but this Thursday's stage was not as relaxed as the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider expected, as he had to follow along with the very high pace and even cover attacks in the final kilometers.

For the Dane, a breakaway win was also fixated on his mind. “I didn’t expect this scenario. I don’t know why, but I didn’t expect that the sprinters’ teams would take control. But they did a very good job and they deserved the win today," Vingegaard said in a post-race interview to CyclingPro.net.

“It was very impressive how they handled the whole situation and the whole stage. In the end, they deserved the win.” Paul Magnier was the rider to take the honours, with Jonathan Milan surviving the steep final ascent but not being able to match the Frenchman in the final sprint.

Visma on their hand set a strong pace on the climbs early in the day so as to not allow any GC outsider to raid the race, and with the speed being quite high all day long, it was anything but a calm day. The approach to the Muro di ca'del Poggio was extremely fast and required a full-team effort to ensure the safety of the pink jersey.

“I think with the bunch sprint going into the climb, it was hard to position yourself". Davide Piganzoli, thus far his trusted right-hand man throughout the whole Giro, was missing in action. "I think he had to do it a little bit by himself and then he was a bit far behind. That happens sometimes".

“He was not in the front over the climb, but he managed to come back. He didn’t lose any time at all and he’s still in a good position. So far he’s been super strong,” the Dane said. “He showed what he’s capable of, and hopefully in the last two days he will also have some good legs.”

However the Dane had Sepp Kuss, who closed down the first attack of Afonso Eulálio and made sure Vingegaard was never isolated.

At the top of the climb, Vingegaard rode over the top in front so as to capture more KOM points, the second jersey he is likely to reach Rome having conquered. “I was there and I have the jersey, so why not take the nine points there".

A day saved, and he goes into the final two mountain stages of the race with over 4 minutes of lead over Felix Gall. Logic would dictate that he has virtually won the Giro, however anything can happen and only after the riders fly away from the Alps can that be given as a guarantee.

Tomorrow is the queen stage of the race, with almost 5000 meters of climbing and a profile that will leave no doubts on who the strongest climbers in the field are. "There are a lot of altitude meters tomorrow. Hopefully I will have good legs, and then we’ll see what it will be".

“It is a nice stage and I would love to win that one," Vingegaard anticipates. "But we also have to be careful with the team and with everything. We will talk about it and then we’ll make a plan for tomorrow.”