Gall Secures Historic Giro Podium as Vingegaard Stands on Brink of Victory

"Die mentale Ermüdung ist sehr groß. Aber ich bin extrem happy und zufrieden, es so abzuschließen," Gall said at the finish, visibly exhausted. The Austrian has ridden consistently throughout the three-week race, defending his podium position on every mountain stage.

Vingegaard's Unassailable Lead

The final stage will start and finish in Rome, taking the peloton on a largely flat route that includes a brief excursion to the coast at Ostia before returning to the capital for eight laps of a city circuit. The stage is expected to favor the sprinters, with no significant changes anticipated in the overall standings.

Vingegaard, the Tour de France winner in 2022 and 2023, is competing in the Giro d'Italia for the first time and has been virtually untouchable in the mountains. "Am letzten Tag in den Bergen wollten wir unbedingt auf Sieg fahren," a satisfied Vingegaard said after the stage.

The Dane's dominance was underlined by his team's performance throughout the day. His Visma-Lease a Bike teammate Sepp Kuss had already won the 'queen stage' on Friday, attacking solo on the Passo Giau to take a memorable victory in Alleghe.

Kuss Completes Grand Tour Stage Set

Kuss, a American, became one of the few riders to win stages at all three Grand Tours with that triumph. He had previously won stages at the Vuelta a España and the Tour de France.

Gall's second place overall will mark only the second time an Austrian has finished in the top three of a Grand Tour. The first was Adolf Christian, who placed third at the Tour de France in 1957.

"Vor allem die mentale Übermüdung ist groß," Gall admitted, reflecting on the toll of three weeks of racing. "Gestern in der Früh war ich in der Früh angespannt und beim Rennen locker. Aber wir haben in Rom noch ein paar Runden zu drehen."

The Final Climb Decides

The stage on Saturday featured two ascents of the climb to Piancavallo, a winter sports resort at 1,290 meters altitude on the southern edge of the Dolomites. The first 130 kilometers of the stage were largely flat before the road tilted upward.

Italian rider Giulio Ciccone secured the mountains classification during the stage, taking a point on the first passage of the Piancavallo climb. The Lidl-Trek rider had been in the day's breakaway and fought to hold off the general classification contenders.

Vingegaard's attack on the final climb was decisive. "Heute war der Tag der Entscheidung. Das ist großartig," he said. The Dane now stands on the verge of his fourth Grand Tour victory, having also won the Vuelta a España in 2025.

"Fünf Etappen zu gewinnen und einen soliden Vorsprung für morgen zu haben, das bedeutet mir sehr viel. Wir mussten ein bisschen improvisieren, der Plan war, spät anzugreifen," Vingegaard explained after his triumph.

Emotions on the Road to Rome

Gall, for his part, acknowledged the unique atmosphere of the race's final days. "Es ist extrem cool, meine Familie und viele bekannte Gesichter waren auf der Strecke, ich habe meinen Namen oft auf der Strecke gehört, das ist etwas sehr Cooles," he said.

He also noted the challenges of racing through crowded streets. "Mit den Menschenmassen ist es auch ein bisschen gefährlich," Gall told Eurosport. "Morgen haben wir ein paar Runden in Rom zu drehen, in den nächsten Tagen werde ich es mehr genießen können."

The 109th edition of the Giro d'Italia will conclude on Sunday with a stage that is largely ceremonial for the general classification contenders. The sprinters' teams are expected to control the race on the flat city circuit.

Vingegaard's overall victory will be confirmed when he crosses the finish line in Rome, adding the Giro title to his already impressive palmarès. For Gall, the final stage represents a chance to savor a career-defining achievement.

"Ich bin Radprofi, ich mag es, zu gewinnen," Vingegaard said. "Heute wurde alles entschieden, also haben wir alles getan, um zu gewinnen. Ich hatte einen überragenden Tag."