On the all-pink stage of the Giro d’Italia, Jonas Vingegaard holds the iconic Trofeo Senza Fine above his head. Just moments previously, his name was etched onto this trophy in a looping cursive, crowning him the winner of this year’s Giro d’Italia. Vingegaard looks down at his two children, both wearing matching pink jerseys, smiles and kisses the trophy.
With his victory, the Dane has become the eighth rider to win all three Grand Tours, and the first rider to complete the trilogy since Chris Froome in 2018. Vingegaard won the Vuelta a España last year and the Tour de France in 2022 and 2023.
This is the first time that Vingegaard has participated in the Giro, and he has stamped his authority at every turn, winning five stages —including yesterday’s mountain stage— and gaining a margin of more than five minutes on his closest rival, Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM). Jai Hindley (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) claimed third place, over six minutes down on Vingegaard.
Asked about his highlights of the Giro earlier in the day, Vingegaard praised the motivation and energy in the team, giving a shout out to teammate Sepp Kuss’ victory in the queen stage on Friday. “And obviously winning five stages myself, it’s quite nice,” he added, almost as an afterthought.
After the race, Vingegaard was more emotional. “It’s a special day for me. To win this race is something I dreamed of – I’m lost for words,” he said. “There were so many people on the side of the road, so many spectators. To get the honour to wear the maglia rosa on the streets of Rome is something special. With these last three weeks, it’s just such a nice way to end this race.”
Vingegaard crossed the finish line of the stage —won by Jonathan Milan— with his teammates, fist in the air. His wife, Trine Marie Vingegaard Hansen, and two children were at the line to celebrate. “That gives me tears in my eyes,” said Vingegaard, wiping his eyes. “They are always there for me.”
For former teammate and Visma-Lease a bike staff member Nathan van Hooydonck, Vingegaard’s success is a promise of things to come. “This Jonas reminds me of the Jonas of ‘22 and ’23: he’s so relaxed. He’s cool, calm, collected. He’s been a killer this Giro. He’s won where he wanted to win, and that’s the way I like to see him.”
Vingegaard’s participation in the Giro was his own idea, van Hooydonck explains. “He believed in it and talked it through with the team…Already in this Giro he’s been saying that he feels that he can still improve towards the Tour de France. That gives me —as a friend, as a teammate— a lot of hope going forward.”
Wearing a pink blazer (“Jonas gave me the opportunity to finally wear it again”) and Visma’s special Grand Tour trilogy t-shirt, the team’s managing director Richard Plugge also has his sights set on July.
“We want to experience this again,” he said. “The yellow jersey is the highest and we are a yellow jersey organisation. We have a lot of confidence in this team – and in Jonas, obviously. Because Jonas is getting even stronger after this. We planned it so that he’ll be at his peak at the Tour de France. We are looking forward to that fight.”