Overview
- Jonas Vingegaard starts his first Giro d’Italia on Friday in Nessebar, Bulgaria, as the top pick for overall victory with Tadej Pogacar not racing.
- Visma–Lease a Bike cleared his plan after reviewing performance data to let him chase both the Giro and the Tour this season.
- The 21-stage course includes five summit finishes and a 40-kilometer time trial from Viareggio to Massa, which suits his blend of climbing and time-trial power.
- He lines up after March wins at Paris–Nice and the Tour of Catalonia, where he took four stages in total.
- Challengers include Jai Hindley, Giulio Pellizzari, Richard Carapaz, Felix Gall, and Egan Bernal, with the race ending May 31 in Rome before a July 4 Tour start that leaves a tight recovery window.