🎥 Jonas Vingegaard steals the spotlight at the Giro d'Italia — but not how you might think

Jonas Vingegaard found himself in the spotlight during stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia — and he wasn't shy about seeking it out either. The Visma | Lease a Bike Dane is the outright favourite for overall victory, and always a welcome sight on camera. Especially as he glides past the lens, blowing a kiss and waving with one nail painted red.

The Giro organisation knows it by now: point a camera at Vingegaard and you are all but guaranteed a kiss in return.

It has become something of a Vingegaard trademark — his way of saying hello to his wife Trine and their two children from wherever the race has taken him. A signal that says: all good here. The same happened during stage 1 in Bulgaria, though the cameraman had to work for it a little.

When Vingegaard first came into shot during the live broadcast, he was deep in conversation with fellow Dane Michael Valgren of EF Education-EasyPost and wasn't quite ready for his close-up.

The cameraman moved on. But later, it finally came good.

Vingegaard also attracted attention on Friday for the red nail he brought to the start podium.

Visma | Lease a Bike later shared a video showing Vingegaard painting a nail of teammate Davide Piganzoli red. Afterwards came the explanation.

"It's for a good cause," Vingegaard says. "A cause for the wellbeing of children in Denmark. One in six children are mentally or physically abused by their parents."

"That is something we want to fight against," he continues passionately. "Every child deserves to grow up in a safe home environment. It is an incredibly important cause."