Jonas Vingegaard and his Visma-Lease a Bike team imposed their authority on the Tirreno-Adriatico peloton for a second day, with the Dane surging away from his rivals with five kilometre to go on the Monte Petrano mountain finish high in the windswept Le Marche Apennines.
Earlier his teammates had kept the break of the day under control, ensuring even Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) was caught despite starting the 10km climb with a lead of a minute. There would be no gifts.
Vingegaard grew up admiring Alberto Contador’s aggressive style of racing and was keen to emulate him as he cracked and then distanced Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) and Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) on the testing slopes of Monte Petrano to set-up overall victory.
“We wanted to win,” Vingegaard explained bluntly.
“Carapaz was still kind of close on GC and so we had to be careful of that too. But when the chance is there, why not go for it?”
Bar accidents, Vingegaard will lift the stunning Tirreno-Adriatico winner’s trident trophy after the final circuit stage around San Benedetto del Tronto on Sunday.
“1:24 is a good gap to have. I'm happy with that and we can be happy with how we’ve raced in the last few days. It’s been a good week,” he said.
Vingegaard's big goal remains the Tour de France in July but success in the spring is also part of the wider plan for the season.
It’s not preparation for the Tour de France but serves many purposes, including paying back his hard-working teammates. boosting Vingegaard’s morale and sending a message to his rivals.
“The season is not only about the Tour de France. It’s better to try to do something now, win some races and win as much as possible,” the Dane suggested.
“It doesn’t really matter if you're in good shape now for the Tour de France. If you do well now, it doesn’t mean you’re not going to do well in July, The Tour is a whole different preparation.”
“I was in shape last year but for some other things, I didn’t perform that well, but I always believed in myself and my form. I think my level is still improving and I hope I can improve more for the Tour de France. I know I can peak in July.”
Vingegaard confirmed he is unlikely to ride the Ardennes Classics and so take on Primož Roglič (Bora-hansgrohe) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step). Their next showdown will come at Itzulia Basque Country, a little earlier in April on the steep climbs and testing roads of he Basque Country.
“For sure I’m looking forward to racing those two guys too,” Vingegaard said with genuine enthusiasm and sense of a challenge.
“It was a good peloton here but Remco and Primož are some of the best riders in the world, so you have to compare yourself against them. To be the best rider in the world, you have to beat those guys.”
