He decides everything: how the race should go and who should win it. Because Jonas Vingegaard first sends Sepp Kuss to test the waters of the breakaway, to have a loyal lieutenant up front, and then gives him the green light. Out of five high mountain finishes at the Giro, the Dane has won four and the American won one at Piani di Pezzè, above Alleghe: the big Dolomite stage.

"Sepp always sacrifices himself for others and never asks for anything in return – says Vingegaard, 29 years old, six days in the pink jersey -. That's why being able to repay him, even just in part, is a real pleasure, it's always special when your teammates win. Sepp has been by my side in all the victories I've achieved in the Grand Tours and I'm truly happy that he had his opportunity and made the most of it. We had already talked about this possibility in the first days of the Giro".

In the last ten editions of the Giro, after 19 stages only two race leaders have had more than 4' over second place: Pogacar in 2024 with 7'42" over Dani Martinez, and precisely Vingegaard with 4'03" over Gall.

"Here at the Giro, Visma-Lease a Bike is truly a dream team. Everyone is in peak condition and does everything possible for me and, like today, to allow Sepp to win a stage. Today's result is certainly among the three most beautiful moments of this Giro so far. We've secured five victories, we have the pink jersey and the race is going very well. Tomorrow the main objective will be to keep the jersey, then we'll see what other opportunities arise. It would be truly wonderful to see Davide Piganzoli claim the white jersey: today he recovered a minute and a half and that's a very important result".

Speaking of the team, how has this group been for you on a personal level, in the hotel or at breakfast?

"A truly fantastic group. We've had a lot of fun, we've enjoyed our time, we've enjoyed breakfast, dinner, but obviously it's also easier when things are going really well... we're all here truly happy".

But has everything always gone according to your plans?

"Well, there are days when we had a plan and it didn't go completely as we had expected. But cycling isn't like a PlayStation video game. It's real and then we use our legs, and we don't always have the legs. And certain days, yes, you have to change the plan a bit".