“It was worth the wait,” Vingegaard nodded, having said so often in recent weeks that he had been saving his legs, that Visma | Lease a Bike had taken it easy, and that the Vuelta would only be won in the third week. “I would have liked to have won in Bilbao and on the Angliru, but the Bola del Mundo is also very special.”
Vingegaard had some off days in the second week. He wasn't completely fit and was beaten by João Almeida (UAE Emirates-XRG) on the Angliru on day 13. Two days earlier in Bilbao, the stage was suspended due to pro-Palestinian protests. We would almost forget the first week, in which Vingegaard won impressively on days 2 and 9 and took the lead in the GC.
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Vingegaard felt better than ever on final Vuelta day
But of course, we won't forget those stage wins. The stage on the Bola del Mundo was his third victory of this Vuelta. And on Sunday in Madrid, with that red jersey, he will add another one. “Normally, nothing will change tomorrow. Hopefully, it will stay that way and I will ride into Madrid wearing the red jersey.”
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Anyone who saw and heard Vingegaard would almost think: do another week. “I felt better today than on the last uphill finishes, so I'm pleased with how it went today and how the team has ridden these three weeks. They were exceptional, without them I couldn't have done it.”
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Vingegaard had something left in the tank and wins the Vuelta by more than a minute
The attack with which Vingegaard won the stage was explosive. “I didn't feel very comfortable with the pace set by João and Jai (Hindley, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, ed.), but I knew I had a good chance of winning the stage. At a certain point, I went for it and immediately opened up a gap. The last few meters were incredibly tough; I almost rode into the barriers,” laughed the almost-Vuelta winner.
Vingegaard's ultimate superiority was reflected not only in three stage wins but also in the GC. The two-time Tour winner's lead in Madrid will be 1 minute and 16 seconds over Almeida and 3 minutes and 11 seconds over third-placed Tom Pidcock. At the top of the Bola del Mundo, his wife Trine was immediately called: Vingegaard's third Grand Tour victory is secured!
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
🚴🇪🇸 | Daar gaat Jonas Vingegaard! Niemand kan volgen en dus lijkt de Deen van Visma | Lease a Bike op weg naar de ritzege én de eindzege in deze Vuelta! #LaVuelta25
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🚴🇪🇸 | Jonas Vingegaard is de beste op de Bola del Mundo en pakt na zijn tweede plek in de Tour de France nu voor de eerste keer de eindwinst in de Vuelta a España. Petje af! 🇩🇰🧢 #LaVuelta25
📺 Stream koers op HBO Max