Smart Vingegaard takes 4 seconds as Almeida lets his guard down: "Better to win them than to lose them"

A smart move by Visma | Lease a Bike and their leader, who pulled off a remarkable coup. “To be honest, it was a bit messy before that sprint,” Vingegaard analyzed afterwards on Eurosport. “We were at the front and decided to go for it. We had to be at the front anyway to stay out of trouble with the wind. We went for it, and luckily I was able to take four seconds.”

Almeida was taking it easy and saw his Danish rival pull away to a 44-second lead, with one key stage still to go. Not only did Vingegaard gain time, but he also beat his compatriot Mads Pedersen in a sprint. “I wouldn't call it a bunch sprint, but it was a sprint,” laughs the red jersey wearer. “He was slightly out of position, but I can be happy with that.”

Other than that, it was a quiet day for Vingegaard and Visma | Lease a Bike, apart from some windy conditions. “A few teams tried, but there wasn't enough wind.” On Saturday, the Vuelta will come to an end: the ride to the grueling Bola del Mundo will be decisive. The Dane is ready. Right? “I feel pretty good, my legs are okay, hopefully they'll be better tomorrow.”

A 44-second lead seems like a good advantage with one mountain stage to go, especially since the most significant difference between Almeida and Vingegaard in a stage so far was 24 seconds (in stage 9, ed.). The bonus seconds give him an extra buffer. “It's nice, of course, but I'd be surprised if those four seconds decide the Vuelta,” the leader remains realistic.

On his team's website, Vingegaard explained the intermediate sprint further. “When we were up front, we saw the chance to take them, and it’s always better to win seconds than to lose them. Most of all, I’m happy we got through the day without problems. That makes it a good day for us as a team. I’m still in the lead, I feel good, and I have a strong team around me.”

Sports director Jesper Mørkøv agrees with his protégé. “It was indeed a good day for us. We were always in the right position and rode with great focus, ready in case of crosswinds. We kept Jonas out of trouble at all times. He even managed to grab four extra seconds, but above all, he needed to reach the finish safely.”