'It was terrible' - Jonas Vingegaard close but not close enough to maglia rosa after fast, flat Giro d'Italia time trial

Jonas Vingegaard came close to claiming the maglia rosa during the flat and fast 42km time trial on stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia but ultimately fell short of overtaking race leader Afonso Eulálio. Completing the course in 48 minutes and 53 seconds, the Visma-Lease a Bike rider narrowed the overall time gap but was unable to dislodge the Bahrain-Victorious rider from the top of the general classification. The time trial, held along the Tuscan coast, highlighted the unpredictable nature of the Giro, with Vingegaard continuing to chip away at his rivals as the race enters its second week. The stage’s flat profile was widely seen as favouring powerful time trial specialists, a factor that Vingegaard himself acknowledged. He admitted that such terrain is not his strength, describing his performance as “terrible” but acceptable given the circumstances. The fastest time of the day was set by Filippo Ganna of Netcompany Ineos, who completed the course in an impressive 45 minutes and 53 seconds, reaching speeds of up to 55 kph. Vingegaard also lost time to other contenders such as Thymen Arensman, Derek Gee-West, and Ben O’Connor, who all posted faster times and moved up the overall standings. Despite the setback, Vingegaard remains optimistic about his position in the race, noting that there is still significant climbing ahead, including key mountain stages at Pila, Alleghe, and Piancavallo. He expressed satisfaction with his current standing and the blue jersey he holds, emphasising that being close to the pink jersey is encouraging. The Danish rider acknowledged that while he would have preferred to take the maglia rosa earlier, every day spent in contention is valuable and something to be proud of. Looking ahead, the Giro d’Italia promises to remain fiercely competitive as the race moves into more mountainous terrain that better suits Vingegaard’s climbing abilities. The time trial served as a reminder that the race can shift dramatically with each stage, and with several challenging ascents still to come, the battle for the overall victory is far from decided. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if Vingegaard can capitalise on the upcoming climbs to claim the coveted pink jersey in the closing stages of the Corsa Rosa.