Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen won the fifth and final stage of the Tour of Denmark. The Decathlon CMA CGM rider represented the Danish national team this week and claimed victory in a bunch sprint on the final day. Wout van Aert successfully defended his leader’s jersey to win the overall classification, although the sprint was overshadowed by a heavy crash.
The fifth and final stage of the Tour of Denmark took the peloton over 126 kilometres from Køge to Rødovre. The flat route presented the sprinters’ teams with an ideal opportunity to control the race and prevent the early breakaway from gaining too much ground. Although several riders attempted to get away, the peloton kept the gaps under control, and a bunch sprint quickly appeared to be the most likely outcome.
The pace was extremely high during the finale. The sprint teams moved their leaders into position, while Van Aert’s place at the top of the overall standings was rarely under threat. The controlled nature of the race kept the Belgian leader out of danger and allowed him to defend his advantage without difficulty. Attention therefore turned mainly to the stage victory, with a fast and closely contested sprint expected to decide the winner.
Unfortunately, a heavy crash occurred on the right-hand side of the peloton in the final left-hand corner. It happened slightly further back, meaning Van Aert and almost all the leading sprinters avoided the incident. Pedersen eventually came out on top in an entertaining battle for the final stage victory. Van Aert did not contest the sprint and crossed the line in 11th place. With three stage victories in five days and the overall title, the Belgian could look back on a highly successful return to racing.
- David Bavin-Hobbs
