The Dane Jonas Vingegaard adds his name to a Vuelta record book that is worth talking about
The Australian Brady Gilmore wins the last stage of an edition easily dominated by the Dane
BarcelonaThe Dane Jonas Vingegaard (Visma / Lease a Bike) adds his name to the list of winners of the Tour of Catalonia. The Catalan race, one of the oldest in the world, has gone from being sidelined in the calendar to becoming one of the events with the most impressive palmarès in recent years. In the last four years, the winners have been the Slovenians Primoz Roglic, Tadej Pogacara and now, Vingegaard. That is to say, the great dominators of world cycling. And not so long ago, those who wore the leader's colors of the tour were Quintana, Yates or Alejandro Valverde.
The Dane started the Tour relaxed, not wanting to attack when necessary, but in the two queen stages he has shown his superiority. And today, in the last stage of this 105th edition, he has limited himself to watching others fight to be the winners on the final circuit of Montjuïc, the end of a 95.1-kilometer stage. The Australian Brady Gilmore (NSN Cycling Team) has achieved it, giving the second victory in the Tour to the new team based in Barcelona and with Andrés Iniesta as a shareholder. Gilmore has beaten the Frenchman Dorion Godon (Ineos Grenadiers), who has won two stages, and the Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).
Vingegaard has confirmed the good moment of a Tour that attracts talent and takes care of the route with stages like the Bergadana one, already a classic on Saturday, with thousands of people creating a great atmosphere on the roadsides. The Dane finished with a Patum mask on Saturday, accepting the bet after sealing the tour and confirming that he is perhaps the only one who can stand up to Pogacar nowadays. A man who not so long ago, still worked in a fish factory and played football, without knowing if he could dedicate himself to cycling. But he decided to give his all for this sport and seeing the results, he was right.
This year's edition has been a public success despite the performance of the Catalan cyclists, which was quite discreet. Many Colombian fans have approached each stage to say goodbye to Nairo Quintana, who is retiring this season.
