‘I’m a cyclist, I want to win as many races as possible’ – Jonas Vingegaard wins fifth Giro d’Italia stage to set-up emphatic pink jersey win
The often-understated Jonas Vingegaard showed his insatiable desire for victory as he won the his fifth stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia to cap off his pink jersey winning ride.
After victory on the final mountain test of the Giro on stage 20, the Dane now just has to negotiate the final flat stage into Rome tomorrow to be crowned Giro d’Italia champion.
Vingegaard will have won all three grand tours following his Vuelta a España win last year and his Tour de France wins in 2022 and 2023. He will be the first rider to do it since Chris Froome in 2018.
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Speaking after the race Vingegaard confirmed that despite his often laid-back demeanour he’s as competitive as any pro. “I’m a cyclist I like to win I want to win as many races as possible. So, we decided to go for it again today,” he told TNT Sports.
“The boys did amazing again today and I had an amazing day also. To have won five stages here and to go into tomorrow with a solid lead is special to me.”
Though it didn’t go all entirely according to plan. Vingegaard attacked the GC group on the lower slopes of the Piancavallo climb to the finish, an ascent dedicated to the memory of Italian legend Marco Pantani.
But he revealed he had planned to go a bit later in the climb but key mountain domestique and yesterday’s stage winner Sepp Kuss was having a bad day and wasn’t able to set the pace. “We had to improvise,” Vingegaard said. “Bart Lemmen was amazing he did such a high pace form the bottom.”
Initially Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) was able to respond to the Visma-Lease a Bike leader’s attack but soon he was distanced and steadily losing time.
Behind third place GC rider Jai Hindley (Red Bul-Bora-hansgrohe) continued to tap out a steady pace with fifth place Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek).
With 5km to go Hindley and Gee-West regained contact with Gall and the three came into the finish together with fourth place GC rider Thymen Arensman. The Netcompany Ineos rider had been paced back onto the back of the group by team-mate Egan Bernal and so averting any danger that Gee-West might jump Arensman in the GC.
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Further back down the mountain, Vingegaard’s team-mate Davide Piganzoli tried to overhaul young rider classification leader Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) who had started the day 1.03 up on his young Visma-Lease a Bike rival but to no avail.
Eulálio wasn’t the only one who had secured a jersey today, Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) claimed the blue king of the mountains classification thanks to the break taking most of the points on the first of two ascents of Piancavallo.
But the day was ultimately all about Vingegaard who’s team had controlled the stage for much of the day through the first of the two ascents of the first category Piancavallo climb.
Just past the finish line Vingegaard made his customary phone call home to his wife to celebrate.
His team manager Richard Plugge told TNT Sports: “It’s incredible how the team rode again today. Everyone is paying the price for three weeks and Jonas is still the strongest.”
Plugge confirmed that Vingegaard will turn his attention to the Tour de France following the Giro d’Italia celebrations.
ResultGiro d’Italia 2026, Stage 20: Gemona del Friuli 1976-2026 > Piancavallo (200km)
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, in 5:03.55
2. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon CMA CGM, +1.15
3. Jai Hindley (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe,
4. Derek Gee-West (Can) Lidl-Trek, all at same time
5. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Netcompany-Ineos, +1.19
6. Egan Bernal (Col) Netcompany-Ineos, +1.25
7. Afonso Eulálio (Por) Bahrain Victorious, +2.03
8. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, +2.13
9. Michale Storer (Aus) Tudor Pro Cycling
10. Davide Piganzoli (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike, all at same time
General classification after stage 20
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, in 80:17.01
2. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon CMA CGM, +5.22
3. Jai Hindley (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +6.25
4. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Netcompany-Ineos, +7.02
5. Derek Gee-West (Can) Lidl-Trek, +7.56
5. Alfonso Eulálio (Por) Bahrain Victorious, +9.39
7. Michael Storer (Aus) Tudor Pro Cycling, +10.13
8. Davide Piganzoli (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike, +10.52
9. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, +11.24
10. Egan Bernal (Col) Netcompany-Ineos, +12.54
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