“The shape is good” - Jonas Vingegaard stays calm despite Giro d’Italia blow as key Visma mountain domestique withdraws
Cycling
Jonas Vingegaard has insisted his Giro d’Italia condition is exactly where it needs to be, even as Team Visma | Lease a Bike continue to count the cost of the brutal Stage 2 crash that has already reshaped the opening week of the race.
The Dane came through the Bulgarian Grande Partenza without losing time and showed his first real acceleration of the race on the climb towards Lyaskovets Monastery, where he briefly went clear with Giulio Pellizzari and Lennert Van Eetvelt. The move did not result in a stage win or a time gap, but it did underline that Vingegaard had arrived at the Giro with sharp legs.
Speaking to Cycling Pro Net before Stage 4, Vingegaard made clear that his own confidence has not been shaken.
“I'm really happy with how everything's going,” he said. “The shape is good and I showed good numbers there already, so I'm happy with how everything is going and I'm looking forward to the stages coming.”
Vingegaard calm despite Visma setback
That message came on a day when Visma had to start without Wilco Kelderman, who was ruled out following the lingering effects of the Stage 2 crash. For Vingegaard, losing a key mountain domestique so early in the Giro is far from ideal, especially with the race still waiting for its first true high mountain test.
Kelderman had been part of the support structure around the Dane for the coming Italian stages, where positioning, experience and climbing depth will matter more and more. His withdrawal leaves Visma with one fewer option around Vingegaard, at a point in the race where several rival teams have already been forced to redraw their plans.
Vingegaard, though, sounded focused on what had gone right rather than what had been lost. His Stage 2 attack was not only about testing the field. He again framed it as a safety move, designed to reduce exposure before a difficult downhill and technical finale.
“Of course, it would have been nice to take some time,” he said. “But also on the other hand, it was also to play it a bit more safe, to have a smaller bunch going in the downhill, so I succeeded in that as well.”
Stage 4 unlikely to spark GC move
After a rest and travel day, the Giro resumes in Italy with Stage 4 from Catanzaro to Cosenza. The route includes climbing and a drag towards the finish, but Vingegaard does not expect the general classification riders to turn it into a major test.
“I don't think the GC will take any advantage of it,” he said. “I think it will be more a breakaway or a sprint stage. That's the two options I see, or maybe a reduced bunch sprint, but I don't see the GC guys going for it today.”
That assessment fits the wider tone of Vingegaard’s Giro so far. He has looked alert, strong and willing to move when the situation demands it, but Visma’s priority remains reaching the decisive climbing stages with their leader intact.
Kelderman’s absence is an early complication. Vingegaard’s own form, at least, appears to be one problem Visma do not currently have.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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