Vingegaard nears Giro triumph as teammate Kuss takes stage 19

AFP | Alleghe

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Jonas Vingegaard took another step towards winning his first Giro d’Italia yesterday after emerging unscathed from a brutal 19th stage won by his teammate Sepp Kuss.

Pre-race favourite Vingegaard has one more stage to get through to ensure his overall triumph in the Italian Grand Tour, with Sunday’s finale a procession around Rome.

The Visma–Lease a Bike rider stuck in the main peloton all day until the final, punishing climb to Alleghe after 151 kilometres of energy-sapping riding through the Dolomite mountains.

He then made sure that he stayed close to nearest rival Felix Gall, who remains just over four minutes off the pace.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s penultimate stage, which features two huge climbs to Piancavallo, with Vingegaard knowing that he will reign supreme if he holds out.

“This is for sure one of the highlights of my Giro. It’s in the top three,” said Vingegaard.

“The big goal will be to stay in the pink jersey after the end of the stage.” Vingegaard did concede the lead of the Mountains standings to Italian Giulio Ciccone, who was first over four of yesterday’s six classified climbs but was denied a stage win by American Kuss who overtook him in the final two kilometres.

“It was never the primary goal (to win the stage). The main challenge was to win the pink jersey with Jonas,” said Kuss, who’s mother was watching on from near the finish line.

“When they told me the other night I had to go in the break, I knew I had to seize the opportunity. It’s something I always dreamed of but every year it gets harder and harder.