A demonstration of total authority
Jonas Vingegaard has just sent a clear message to the entire peloton. It wasn’t just winning, it was how he did it. The Dane escaped alone in the fifth stage, the most mountainous of this Paris-Nice, and left his rivals in the dust.
As he climbed the final ramps, he waved and blew kisses to the cameras. That’s not arrogance, it’s the confidence of someone who knows they’ve done their homework. His pursuers couldn’t even get close.
He completed the 206 km to Colombier-le-Vieux with more than 2 minutes ahead of the second, Valentin Paret-Peintre.
With the general almost in the pocket
This victory, added to that of Wednesday’s stage, gives him an abysmal advantage in the general classification: 3 minutes and 22 seconds** over Daniel Martínez. With two days left, the title seems a done deal.
But Vingegaard looks further. This year he wants his first Paris-Nice, his third Tour… and debut and win the Giro. The final objective is clear: unite the three Grand Tours.
After being surpassed by Pogacar in the mountains of the Tour the last two years, he has worked like a man possessed. This exhibition is the fruit of that silent work. The 113th edition of the Tour, which begins on July 4, looks exciting.
When an athlete reaches this level, each outing is a lesson for everyone. Today, Vingegaard taught class.
