Vingegaard to Make Giro d’Italia Debut in 2026

Fans and industry insiders alike had been waiting for the announcement for several weeks, and now — straight from the Visma | Lease a Bike training camp — it’s finally official: Jonas Vingegaard will ride the 2026 Giro d’Italia.

There is no shortage of reasons to be excited. The Danish star will be lining up at the Corsa Rosa for the very first time in his career; he will then attempt the coveted Giro–Tour double, and should he manage to win in Italy, he would complete the set by having conquered all three Grand Tours.

But quite simply, this is big news because Vingegaard is nothing short of an exceptional rider, arguably the finest stage-race specialist in the world, second only to Tadej Pogačar. He is also the only rider who, over the past three seasons, has managed to beat the Slovenian head-to-head in a Grand Tour, wresting the yellow jersey from him at the Tour de France in both 2022 and 2023.

Italian fans have already seen him dominate on home roads, most notably at the Tirreno Adriatico 2024, and even earlier – when he was still largely unknown – at the Settimana Coppi & Bartali in 2021. That was the starting point of a relentless rise which, in addition to his two Tour de France victories, has delivered three second places, overall victory at the Vuelta a España 2025, and a remarkable haul of wins in one-week stage races: 42 professional victories in total.

Vingegaard: “I Can’t Wait for May”

“I chose the Giro because it’s one of the most prestigious competitions in the world, and because I’ve never raced it before,” Vingegaard explains with a bright smile.

“I’ve always said I’d like to do it, and now the moment has arrived. I can’t wait for May. It’s a nice change to my calendar compared to the choices I’ve made over the past five years, but it was time. I’m curious to see what it will be like to go to the Tour de France after riding the Giro. I’ll be aiming for the Maglia Rosa of course. […] The idea of winning all three Grand Tours is a huge motivation”.

The Dane – who comes from a country whose highest natural point barely reaches 170 metres – is now ready to take on some of the **most beautiful and most brutal mountains in the world.

“I really like the route, especially because it isn’t excessively hard, which is important if I want to target the Giro–Tour double. To be honest, I had already decided to ride the Giro before the route was revealed, but this makes everything even more perfect,” added the 29-year-old from Hillerslev.

His build-up to the Grande Partenza from Bulgaria will include the UAE Tour and the Volta a Catalunya. We may have had to wait a few years for you, Jonas – but we’re sure it will be worth it.

See you in May