Jonas Vingegaard's race to lose: Dane once again dominates O Gran Camiño

O Gran Camiño has become a rather predictable race over the past two editions: Jonas Vingegaard starts and then Jonas Vingegaard wins.

The only exception to this rule over the past two seasons came on Thursday in the opening stage time trial where Vingegaard came across the line in 45th. Then again, the day was full of exceptions as the race was run on road bikes and the general classification times were nullified, likely explaining why the Tour de France champion took it easy.

When the racing has mattered in Galicia, Vingegaard has done his best to obliterate the opposition on every stage of the past two editions of the race, winning stage 2, 3 and leading the GC of the race this year and stages 2, 3, 4 and the overall in 2023. Last year, stage 1 was cancelled.

If the Dane wins tomorrow, his record will be a perfect six for six in the road stages. What’s more, tomorrow is the course that is the best suited for Vingegaard with O Gran Camiño concluding with a 158km stage finishing on the 7.1km, 8% Monte Aloia.

“The guys kept the breakaway group nicely within range,” Vingegaard said after his rip-roaring 20km breakaway to win stage 2. “I ventured to attack and luckily was able to keep my lead until the finish.”

"It was another very tough day. The guys did an excellent job of keeping the leading group within shot. Then I took the risk to attack and luckily I was able to keep my lead until the finish."

Not only did Vingegaard keep his advantage from the climb which topped out with 19km left to race, he expanded it on the flat and downhill sections of the course. Even with the likes of stage 1 winner Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) pushing the chase from behind, Vingegaard descended a slick, twisting descent faster than everyone, extending his gap over 30 seconds and dropping Pablo Castrillo, the only rider from the breakaway who could cling onto the flying Dane.

It was an all-around masterclass from Vingegaard that underlines his credentials as not only a climber but also an elite technical rider with his descending today reminiscent of his dare-devil ride on the downhills of the stage 16 time trial from last summer’s Tour de France.

While stage 2 was a less commanding victory, it was commanding nonetheless as Vingegaard dispatched a strong Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) on the final climb after a fiercely cold late winter’s day in northwest Spain.

"I like to race in Galicia, even though it wasn't the best weather conditions," Vingegaard said after stage 1. "This was my fourth stage win here, although this one was not easy. With Bernal, I had a tough competitor for the stage win. In terms of form, I am already where I wanted to be. I'm looking forward to the next stages."

Vingegaard’s dominance is the big story from the weekend, however, a word should be spared for Bernal. Bernal has only raced in Colombia so far this season. While he has shown a step-up in his level this year at Tour Colombia and the Colombian national championships, second at a European stage race with such a strong group is a big dose of confidence as Bernal continues to hunt for the form that saw him win the 2021 Giro d’Italia.

Nonetheless, even if Bernal was at his Grand Tour winning form, he would likely be foiled by one foe. After all, at O Gran Camiño when Vingegaard starts, Vingegaard wins.