Vingegaard again starts campaign with emphatic Camino win

Jonas Vingegaard opened his season once again with a dominating victory in the Gran Camino, splashing through the rain on Sunday to win the final stage and top the overall standings.

Like last season, the Dane won three stages on the four-day tour of Galicia, in northwest Spain.

The miserable weather on Sunday led organisers to curtail the last stage, eliminating one of two ascents of Mount Aloia at the end.

One climb was all Vingegaard needed, burning off the remaining challengers in the last three kilometres to win for a third straight day.

He finished 15 seconds ahead of 20-year-old French climber Lenny Martinez Groupama-FDJ.

Martinez also took second overall, 1 minute 54 seconds behind the double Tour de France winner.

Egan Bernal, who suffered a life-threatening crash training at the beginning of 2022, suggested a return to form by finishing third overall.

Vingegaard only missed out on the first stage, a time trial won by young Welshman Joshua Tarling.

Vingegaard is planning to build his form in a series of stage races starting with the Tirreno-Adriatico in March, the Tour of the Basque Country in April and the Criterium du Dauphine in June. He is the defending champion in the last two of those.