Jonas Vingegaard's historic Giro d'Italia victory puts him in cycling's 'pantheon of greats,' says TNT Sports pundit Matt Stephens

Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) became the eighth rider in history - and the first of his generation - to win all three of cycling’s Grand Tours after the Dane safely finished in the peloton in Stage 21 to Rome on Sunday.

The 29-year-old won five mountaintop finishes in a one-sided 109th edition of the Giro on his way to beating his nearest challenger, the Austrian Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM), by 5:22.

Vingegaard has also struck a psychological blow by joining the exclusive club of riders having completed the so-called grand slam before his long-time rival Tadej Pogacar, who is missing the Vuelta title and is yet to ride there again since finishing third in his only appearance back in 2019.

And Stephens said that victory at this year's Giro moves him to another level in relation to the sport's greats.

"Jonas has had accidents and injuries and he's been overshadowed in the last few editions of the Tour [de France]," he explained. "And that's why I think it was important, off the back of winning the Vuelta, he kept winning.

"I don't think we can understate the importance of him sitting in this pantheon of greats now of winning all of the Grand Tours ahead of Tadej.

"It might seem like a small detail and it's only maybe a small flex but Jonas, if he needs reminding, now sits with the greats. And the consistent thing about the team is that they've got Jonas there and he is a ferocious competitor."

Victory in Italy sets up a mouth-watering Tour de France in July, which will be live on TNT Sports and HBO Max. With Pogacar absent from the Giro, the famous race will see Vingegaard and the Slovenian renew their rivalry.

And Stephens expressed his excitement at seeing the pair do battle once again.

"This isn't Jonas at his peak. Remember that. He's wiped the floor with the competition here with something left in the tank," Stephens said. "So he's set things up wonderfully for July.

"He got emotional with his kids there. He's just won the Giro d'Italia. He's just become one of the greatest cyclists of all time. He already is but to add this is a big moment."

Vingegaard is a two-time winner of the Tour, while Pogacar has won that race four times.

Last year, Pogacar claimed the yellow jersey - for the general classification leader - by four minutes and 24 seconds over Vingegaard.

But Stephens believes Vingegaard is in a "great place" to prevent Pogacar from winning the Tour de France three times in a row.

"He needs to sit, reflect with his family for maybe a week. But he's in a great place. And I cannot wait to see them clash in July."

The 2026 Tour de France begins in Barcelona with a team time trial on Saturday, July 4, with the event running until Sunday, July 26.

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