How Visma-Lease a Bike is honouring eight riders to complete cycling's Triple Crown after Jonas Vingegaard joined historic list
By Ben Morse
Updated 01/07/2026 at 07:24 GMT+1
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Jonas Vingegaard etched himself into the history books with his victory at the 2026 Giro d'Italia, becoming just the eighth rider to complete cycling's Triple Crown. And now, his team is honouring him - and the other seven cyclists who have achieved the feat.
Watch Vingegaard's best moments as Dane claims Giro crown
Video credit: TNT Sports
The Visma-Lease a Bike rider completed the set of cycling's most prestigious stage races by dominating his first crack at the Giro d’Italia in May, winning five stages and claiming the pink jersey at a canter in the absence of his great Slovenian rival, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).
In doing so, Vingegaard now has victories in the Giro, the Tour de France (2022 and 2023) and the Vuelta a Espana (2025) to complete cycling's Triple Crown.
He joins an exclusive list of cyclists to achieve the feat, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Felice Gimondi, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali and Chris Froome.
And to honour the octet, Visma-Lease a Bike announced they have created an "exclusive commemorative pin" which will be given to each of the riders.
The team said that the pin will seek to be a "lasting tribute to one of the sport's most unique achievements."
"The pin symbolises not one victory, but a career. Not one rider, but eight champions from different generations, united by the same extraordinary achievement," the statement added.
"Team Visma-Lease a Bike is proud to initiate this tribute and hopes to give a lasting place to an achievement that has no equal in cycling."
Vingegaard was presented with his pin by Visma-Lease a Bike CEO Richard Plugge in a ceremony on the eve of the 2026 Tour de France.
"Jonas has won all three Grand Tours. Only seven other riders have ever achieved that," Plugge said when handing Vingegaard his pin. "That shows just how difficult it is.
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"Because there is no official badge of honour for this achievement, we wanted to create something special for Jonas: a pin. It also belongs to the other seven riders who have accomplished this, and to anyone who will ever achieve it in the future."
Vingegaard is seeking to add a third Tour de France title to his trophy cabinet when the race begins on Saturday, July 4, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
He will be facing stiff competition from reigning champion Pogacar, who arrives in France in strong form, having won the Tour de Suisse, Tour de Romandie and four of the five Spring Classics he entered.
Vingegaard has already been dealt two huge blows to his chances after his Visma-Lease a Bike team-mates, Christophe Laporte and Wout van Aert, were ruled out through injury.
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Highlights: Pogacar wins overall Tour de Suisse crown after Stage 5 victory
Video credit: TNT Sports
Laporte tore his quadriceps in a training crash in May, and Van Aert also crashed in training, with his elbow injury wound then getting infected, and Visma confirmed that a "full recovery is the priority" for the Belgian.
There was some good news with Edoardo Affini being given the all-clear to participate after recovering from a crash in his National Championship time trial event last week.
The Tour begins with the Grand Depart in Barcelona, a 19.6km team time trial, before a second stage in the region follows.
The peloton will head for France on day three, when the first fireworks are likely in a very early mountain stage.
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