Team Novo Nordisk’s Chris Williams starred in the day’s main break on Thursday’s queen stage at the Post Danmark Rundt. Following a wheel change immediate after the start of the 185-kilometer race, Williams not only bridged back up to the peloton, but he kept going to make the day’s break.

“Missing the break was not an option today,” Williams said. “However, I punctured just two kilometers into today’s stage, so I had to work a little harder to make the break.”

The six-man group earned a maximum gap of six minutes, so the peloton had to lay down a massive effort to catch Williams’ group. This caused the main field to splinter. As the race went over the second categorized climb of the day, the effects of the hilly profile now caused Williams’ group to fracture. Soon all the escapees were reeled in and new attacks followed.

Yet no one gained any real advantage until the three hilly finishing laps around Vejle. Nine riders built a gap of more than a minute on the peloton and held on until the finish. The day proved to be one for the local riders with Denmark sweeping the podium and six Danes finishing in the top 10.

“A stage like today with all the small roads and turns is actually easier when you are away from the group,” Williams explained. “I could set my own pace, ride smoothly and show the Team Novo Nordisk jersey to the crowds.”

Matti Breschel (Tinoff-Saxo) sprinted to the win one second ahead of Rasmus Guldhammer (Cult Energy) and Alexander Kamp (Team Coloquick).

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling squad, continues racing at the Post Danmark Rundt on Friday with a double-day. In the morning, the riders will tackle the 116-km Stage 4, which begins in Slagelse and ends in Frederiksværk. In the evening, they will race against the clock with the Stage 5 13.6-km individual time trial around Helsingør.