Primoz Roglic in 2021 on the final podium of the Tour of Spain, which ended in Santiago de Compostela, was dressed in a cape, hat with a shell, cane and pumpkin. The complete pilgrim kit. They could have done the same to Jonas Vingegaard, his teammate in the Jumbo, when he crossed the finish line of the final time trial in O Gran Camiño. Or more. To entertain him, they could have let him pull the rope of the Botafumeiro. To him alone, as plenipotentiary. Because the Danish has taken over the Galician event. He has taken possession of her. He has appropriated it. He granted it. He has done what he wanted with her. El Camiño is his, it could be named after him.
Key ex-cyclists such as Óscar Pereiro and Ezequiel Mosquera have been to recover the Tour of Galicia, although with another name. Last year, the first edition was carried by Alejandro Valverde. He will always remember that this was his last victory. But it was Jonas Vingegaard who put the race on the world map with an unprecedented display.
From now on we will talk about the race in which the winner of the Tour won the three stages in contention. Three out of three. Full. From foot to foot He took it all. And he did not do four because on Thursday the day had to be neutralized due to the spectacular snowfall that fell on the cyclists. Diving into the newspaper library, the successes of Sean Kelly and Hinault in the International Criterium of 1984 and 1981, respectively, come to mind, where they also won the three stages and the general.
Vingegaard was the strongest in the spectacular climbs to Monte Tegra and Alto do Castelo de Rubiá and rounded off the party in the 18 km time trial that finished in Obradoiro square. So overwhelming was his superiority that he was about to double Guerreiro (Movistar) who had started two minutes before.
It is the first victory of the Danish lightweight against the clock, although he already flew in the last of the 2022 Tour, where he seemed to relax in the last meters for his teammate Van Aert to win. It is true that the participation in O Gran Camiño was not fancy with only four World Tour teams, but he put more than half a minute into Dennis, who has been a two-time world champion.
“It's been a great week. I have really enjoyed the race”, said the champion. It is not for less. "For me, this is perfect preparation for Paris-Nice," he confirmed.
Three stages and overall Pogacar won in Andalusia. Three stages and general Vingegaard signed up in Galicia. And also Remco Evenepoel, current world champion, has prevailed in the Tour of the Emirates, although the Belgian did not win any partial victory. They are the trinity of cycling.
