Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard has promised he will continue to hunt for more wins this week in the CRO Race after a notable summit stage 3 victory in the six-day race.
Despite his prolonged layoff after a Tour de France title, on his return to competitive action in the CRO Race Vingegaard proved more than ready to do battle on Thursday’s tricky, steep ascent with pitches up to 15% to the shrine of Madonna of Loreto, which featured both gravel and cement sections.
At the end of a thrilling uphill battle, Vingegaard powered across the line just ahead of mountains classification leader Oscar Onley (Team DSM). He moved into second place overall, just one second adrift of double stage winner Jonathan MIlan (Bahrain-Victorious), who remains on top of the GC for a third day running, albeit by the narrowest of margins.
Apart from augering well both for the CRO Race and Il Lombardia, his main late-season challenge in a little over a week’s time, Vingegaard said he had been pleased to be able to handle such “a very difficult finish.”
“It was a very bumpy road, so it was hard to stand on the pedals,” the 25-year-old said afterwards. “But the legs were good today, we worked all day for it, and I’m happy to win.”
Jumbo-Visma had shown on the run-in that they meant business by leading the pack at a blistering pace to the foot of the final climb. In a uphill finish radically varying in gradient and road surfaces, and where holding back to the right moment was critical, Vingegaard then mainly followed wheels until he made a surging, late acceleration for the line, proving he had calculated his strength perfectly.
Two very hilly stages now follow, and Vingegaard promised he's not going to settle just for one victory in his return to racing.
“There are still many stages to come, I don’t even know if I’m in the lead,” he said after crossing the line and before learning how the overall was shaping up.
“But the shape is good, I’ll keep trying. It’s also nice for me to be able to win in the last part of the season, normally haven’t been that good in the last part, so obviously I’m happy to be winning in the end.”
Vingegaard's previous latest win in any professional season was his victory in the toughest stage of the Tour de Pologne in August 2019, three years ago, and a whole cycling universe distant from what the Danish racer has succeeded in achieving since then.
But regardless of past history, the CRO Race win has confirmed Vingegaard is far from done yet with 2022.
