“Things went seriously wrong” - Visma react after Giro d’Italia opener proves Jonas Vingegaard strategy right

Team Visma | Lease a Bike emerged from the chaotic opening stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia believing their conservative approach to the finale in Burgas had been fully justified after a huge crash tore through the peloton inside the final kilometre.

While Paul Magnier sprinted to victory and the Maglia Rosa from a reduced front group, Jonas Vingegaard and the rest of the Visma team deliberately stayed deeper inside the bunch throughout the tense run into the finish rather than fighting for position alongside the sprint trains. That decision ultimately kept the Giro favourite out of trouble as the expected bunch sprint descended into chaos.

Speaking afterwards in the team’s post-stage press release, sports director Marc Reef admitted avoiding risk had been the team’s primary objective throughout the day. “The most important thing for us today was reaching the finish safely,” Reef explained in a post-stage press release. “The guys made it into the final five kilometres without any issues, so there was no longer any risk of losing time.”

The Giro opener in Bulgaria had already been widely viewed as a dangerous stage for the GC contenders despite the relatively flat profile, with the combination of fresh legs, nervous positioning and sprint teams fighting for the first Maglia Rosa creating a tense atmosphere throughout the afternoon.

That tension exploded inside the final kilometre when a major crash forced most of the peloton to stop almost completely, leaving only around 10 riders able to continue sprinting for victory.

Throughout the final phase of the stage, UAE Team Emirates-XRG remained visible near the head of the peloton around Antonio Morgado and Adam Yates, while Vingegaard and Visma consistently stayed deeper inside the bunch on the run toward Burgas.

Reef confirmed afterwards that the positioning had been entirely deliberate. “There is always a lot at stake in the opening stage of a Grand Tour,” he said. “Things went seriously wrong in the final kilometre. We decided to stay in the background during the finale.”

The strategy reflected Visma’s wider approach to the opening days of this year’s Giro around Vingegaard, with the team placing a clear priority on avoiding unnecessary risks before the race reaches more selective terrain later in the first week.

The five-kilometre safety rule also reduced some of the pressure on the GC contenders heading into the finale, allowing teams like Visma to avoid taking major risks for position during the final run-in. All Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders ultimately crossed the line safely.

Although the team avoided disaster on the opening stage, Reef suggested Visma are expecting another tense day when the Giro continues in Bulgaria on Saturday.

“Tomorrow’s stage has a difficult finish with several technical sections,” Reef said. “There are many riders who can dream of victory. For us, the main thing remains getting through the first three days in Bulgaria as well as possible.”

That cautious approach may not have delivered the Maglia Rosa on Stage 1, but after the scenes in Burgas, Visma will likely view the opening day as mission accomplished.