Vingegaard seals Giro d’Italia title in Rome

ROME: Jonas Vingegaard completed his Giro d’Italia victory on Sunday, safely negotiating the final stage in Rome to add the Italian race to his list of Grand Tour titles.

The Team Visma-Lease a Bike rider only needed to finish the flat 21st stage to confirm the overall win, with the closing ride through the Italian capital unfolding as a ceremonial finale. The triumph means the Dane has now won all three of cycling’s Grand Tours — the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana — becoming the eighth rider to achieve that feat.

Vingegaard, 29, now joins a select group that includes Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx and Vincenzo Nibali among riders to have completed the full set of Grand Tour victories. His focus next shifts to the Tour de France in July, where he is set for another contest with Tadej Pogacar.

Already a two-time Tour de France winner, Vingegaard did not face Pogacar in this year’s Giro and, was never seriously threatened on his way to the overall success. He had effectively completed the decisive work a day earlier with victory on a classic mountain stage, leaving little to do on Sunday beyond enjoying the route past Rome’s historic landmarks.

He ended the race with five stage wins and finished five minutes and 22 seconds ahead of Felix Gall, who recorded the best Grand Tour result of his career by taking second place overall.

The final stage itself was won by Italy’s Jonathan Milan, who took victory in Rome with a strong late surge. The stage success salvaged something from what was described as a difficult Giro for Milan and marked his first stage win of this year’s edition of his home race.

Despite that result, Milan was unable to deny Paul Magnier the points classification, with Magnier securing the sprinters’ jersey.