Vingegaard takes fourth stage victory in Giro

A dominant display by Visma Lease-a-Bike puts everyone in their place.

Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) said he was “feeling super good today.” Unfortunately, super good wasn’t enough on stage 16 of the Giro d’Italia.

With 6.5 kilometers left in the final climb to Carì, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease a Bike) attacked. Gall made a concerted effort to close the gap but quickly realized he’d blow up. Blowing up is how you lose a second place on GC.

Instead he chose the wiser course of action and settled into his own rhythm. What’s the old saying — discretion is the better part of valor? In his words: “Do my own pace. It was not possible today.”

Gall decided to wait for a group with Jai Hindley (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe), Egan Bernal and Thymen Arensman (Netcompany INEOS) to join him, and together they raced for second place.

Their chase group never got within a minute of Vingegaard who took his fourth stage win of this Giro d’Italia. If it’s a tough summit finish, he wins solo. It was a display of dominance.

There was nothing to be done. As Gall said, “they showed again who is in charge.” Victor Campenaerts, Sepp Kuss and Davide Piganzoli all set an infernal pace on a blistering hot day.

The heat didn’t see to bother Vingegaard in the least. He described the 11.6 kilometer climb, with gradients between 8% and 11%, as “very nice, a very hard climb.” Glad he enjoyed himself.

Gall sprinted for second place and a few bonus seconds while Hindley took third. However, the Austrian climber now has a deficit of 4 minutes with Hindley another 25 seconds adrift.

Anything can happen in the third week of the Giro d’Italia. However, Jonas VIngegaard losing the race isn’t one of them.