'I've never been super good at it' – Jonas Vingegaard has 'terrible' time trial at Giro d'Italia, but remains in GC box-seat

Jonas Vingegaard experienced a challenging time trial on stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia, a discipline that has never been his strong suit. Despite finishing nearly three minutes behind stage winner Filippo Ganna, the overall impact on his general classification (GC) standing was manageable. Vingegaard’s performance was below expectations, losing time to key rivals including Thymen Arensman, who remains his closest threat in the GC battle. The Danish rider acknowledged the nature of the course, explaining that the flat time trial favoured more powerful riders, which was not to his advantage. There has been ongoing speculation that Vingegaard is deliberately pacing himself during this Giro, mindful of the upcoming Tour de France. His two stage victories so far have been measured efforts that gained time without exerting maximum dominance, suggesting a strategic approach to conserve energy for the more mountainous terrain ahead. The rider also appears content to let others, such as Afonso Eulálio and the Bahrain Victorious team, carry the burden of setting the pace early in the race, rather than rushing to claim the pink jersey prematurely. Despite the setback in the time trial, Vingegaard remains confident and focused on the overall prize. He currently holds the mountains classification leader’s jersey and is positioned well in the GC, with Arensman 1 minute 30 seconds behind and Felix Gall trailing further back. Vingegaard expressed satisfaction with his current standing, acknowledging that while he would have liked to don the pink jersey already, he is happy to be in contention and wear the blue jersey for the mountains classification. Looking ahead, Vingegaard’s next significant opportunity to assert his GC ambitions comes on stage 14, which features consecutive mountain climbs in the Aosta Valley. The crucial phases of the race will continue through the Dolomites on stage 19 and the final mountain day on stage 20, where he aims to make decisive moves. His measured approach and resilience suggest that he remains the rider to beat as the Giro progresses towards its climax.