Visma-Lease a Bike have won five stages and dominated the general classification of the Giro d'Italia. Now there are just two goals to complete a perfect Corsa Rosa: Defend Jonas Vingegaard's maglia rosa on the final mountain stage to Piancavallo and help Davide Piganzoli take the best young rider's white jersey.
Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) is trying to hang onto the maglia bianca after his breakthrough Giro and nine days in the maglia rosa. He perhaps deserves the white jersey, but Visma-Lease a Bike and Vingegaard want to reward Piganzoli for his superb teamwork as a mountain domestique.
Piganzoli finished eighth in Piani di Pezzè, after again acting as Vingegaard's last man. Eulálio lost 1:14 to Piganzoli in their race for every second. He kept the white jersey, but his lead melted like the final snow on the nearby Dolomites.
He is only 1:03 ahead of Piganzoli with Saturday's double climb of Piancavallo, their final showdown, and race off for the white jersey.
Eulálio can count on support from his Bahrain Victorious teammates, but Piganzoli has Vingegaard in his corner. It would not be a surprise to see the Dane switch to a gregario role on the final climb of Piancavallo to try to hurt Eulálio and help Piganzoli.
"It would be nice for Davide Piganzoli to take the white jersey. He took a minute and a half and so showed how strong he is, and he deserves his chance to go for it," Vingegaard said, keen to reward his new, young but loyal teammate.
Piganzoli is perhaps feeling the expectations, but is ready to go for the white jersey on the last mountain stage of the 2026 Giro.
"We have Jonas in the maglia rosa and I'm going for the white jersey; everything is coming down to the wire," he said.
"Saturday is the last day to go for the white jersey. My legs were hurting on the last climb, but I think everyone was suffering. It'll be the same on Saturday."
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