Vingegaard downplays Giro status: 'I'm not the only favourite'
Anything other than a Jonas Vingegaard victory would constitute a huge upset at the Giro d'Italia, but the Dane is adamant that he is not the only favourite for the race, which gets under way on Friday.
Jonas Vingegaard has downplayed his status as the runaway favourite to win the Giro d’Italia, insisting that there are other viable contenders for the maglia rosa in Rome on May 31.
The Dane is making his first appearance at the Giro, where he is looking to complete a full set of Grand Tour victories after his triumphs at the Tour de France in 2022 and 2023, and at the Vuelta a España in 2025.
“I don’t think I’m the only favourite,” Vingegaard said when the question was put to him at the team presentation on Wednesday evening. “I think there are a lot of other strong guys here that have a chance, so I don’t think that statement is correct.”
Even before the withdrawals of João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), Vingegaard was heavily favoured to win the Giro, though Egan Bernal (Ineos), Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) will hope to vie for the podium.
Vingegaard has warmed up for May by winning Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya in commanding fashion this spring, and the corsa rosa forms the first part of his attempt at the Giro-Tour double, which was achieved by his rival Tadej Pogacar in 2024.
“I’m extremely happy to be here to start the Giro, it’s a dream come true, and hopefully I can do a good race and see what the result is in Rome. I’ve now done everything I can to be as good as possible to be ready, and in my opinion, I’ve had a good preparation,” Vingegaard told CyclingPro.net.
“I’ve always dreamt of doing the Giro. It’s a special race; Italy is a special country for me. I’ve really been looking forward to doing it and having an opportunity to win all three Grand Tours.”
The Giro route looks to have been designed to aid riders who also wish to tackle the Tour in July, with the toughest mountain stages stacked in the final week, though the summit finish at the Blockhaus on stage 7 is set to be an important early rendezvous.
“There are a lot of tough stages, and already a few here in Bulgaria,” Vingegaard said. “There are hard stages coming throughout the Giro, so you have to be focused every day.”
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