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05/31 13:26 CDT Jonas Vingegaard wins Giro d'Italia to become the eighth male
rider to win all 3 Grand Tours
Jonas Vingegaard wins Giro d'Italia to become the eighth male rider to win all
3 Grand Tours
ROME (AP) --- Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard won the Giro d'Italia on Sunday,
becoming the eighth male rider to win all three Grand Tours.
Vingegaard, who rides for Team Visma-Lease a Bike, ended the three-week race
with an overall advantage of 5 minutes, 22 seconds over second-place Felix
Gall. Jai Hindley finished third, 6:25 behind.
Vingegaard won the Tour de France in 2022 and '23 and last year clinched his
first Spanish Vuelta title. It was his first Giro.
"It's amazing. It's something I've dreamt of my whole life and to now be able
to do it, it's something special," an emotional Vingegaard said in his first
interview as Giro winner. "I'm lost for words.
"It was a really special day, with so many people on the side of the road, so
many spectators, it was really incredible. To get the honor to wear the maglia
rosa in the streets of Rome is something special. With these last three weeks,
it's just such a nice way to end this race."
After crossing the line in Rome, the 29-year-old Vingegaard embraced his wife
and two children, who were wearing replicas of his maglia rosa --- the leader's
pink jersey.
"Yeah, that's even nicer, it also gives me tears in my eyes, they're always
there for me," said Vingegaard, who has celebrated his five stage wins at the
Giro by kissing the photo of his family that is on the handlebar of his
bicycle, before kissing his wedding ring.
Vingegaard also carried his children with him to the podium, where he was
presented with the Trofeo Senza Fine (Trophy With No End).
Having dominated his first Giro --- living up to his billing as pre-race
favorite --- Vingegaard will turn his attention to the Tour de France as he
attempts to become the ninth man to complete the Giro-Tour double in the same
year.
However, there he will face cycling's top talent Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian,
who skipped the Giro to focus on adding to his four Tour titles, became the
first man in 26 years to do the Giro-Tour double when he achieved the feat in
2024.
Sunday's largely processional final Giro stage, that ended with eight laps
through Rome, was won by sprint specialist Jonathan Milan.
The 131-kilometer route started in Rome and then went out the sea before
returning to the Italian capital for the finishing circuit.
So relaxed were the riders that they were all seen sharing a box of sweets as
they started the stage, before also being given glasses of Prosecco. They also
all posed for team photos during the ride out to the sea.
Milan, who had seen other bids for stage wins end in disappointment earlier in
the race, finally got his victory. The Italian edged out compatriot Giovanni
Lonardi and French cyclist Paul Penhot in a bunch sprint.
"I'm super happy to end this Giro in this way," Milan said. "It's beautiful.
After three weeks that we were looking for this, winning the last stage in Rome
means that we were keeping the head there, we never give up, we always keep
fighting for the victory, we were always believing in it, we always believe in
each other."
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AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling
