Having missed most of the season due to injury, Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff) bounced back in the most beautiful fashion by winning the first stage of the Tour of Denmark in a 2-rider sprint. After the race had split due to a crash on a narrow bridge, the Italian attacked with Mads Würtz Schmidt (Virtu Pro) whom he easily beat in the sprint before Moreno Hofland (LottoNL-Jumbo) sprinted to third place. Bennati is also the first leader of the race.

 

We have gathered a few reactions.

 

Daniele Bennati: This win is a nice surprise

With high speeds, crashes and a fast finish, the first stage of the Tour of Denmark brought with it excitement from the drop of the flag. The Tinkoff riders picked up where they left off last year, where the team won the GC and points classifications, dominating much of the first stage and taking the win in the finish in Esbjerg. Showing that he’s recovered from his injuries at the start of the season, Daniele Bennati took the win by three seconds with a bold breakaway at the end of the day. With three Tinkoff riders also in the top ten, the team had undoubtedly started as they meant to go on.

 

On the fairly flat opening stage, it was the 200km distance that would require the most effort from riders. Eager to get the race started, a four-man break went up the road 15km into the stage and quickly built up a lead of over four minutes, the terrain favouring such an attacking move. Helping the peloton hold the break in check, Tinkoff was keeping pace and it was likely the catch would be made before the finish. The route had other ideas, however.

With just 46km of the 200km stage remaining, the race hit the Kammerslusen bridge – a small, narrow, humpback bridge over a canal. Barely wide enough to allow three riders over it side by side, a crash caused havoc seconds after most of the Tinkoff riders made their way over and a bottleneck followed, massively slowing down the chase. At the 27km to go point, with the chaos of the crash behind them, the small group that had emerged from the bottleneck was 55” ahead of the chasing group, with several Tinkoff jerseys in their midst.

 

From the finish, Sport Director, Lars Michaelsen was pleased with the efforts of the team during the day.

 

“The guys worked from the start for the right break to go and after it did, during the stage Pavel Brutt was pulling for about 100km to keep them in reach.”

 

The final kilometres of the stage were coastal, meaning in addition to the demanding pace, the riders were buffeted by harsh crosswinds from the North Sea. With 21km to go however, Michael Gogl went on the attack, claiming points and five bonus seconds at the day’s intermediate sprint, along with Michael Valgren who took a second.

 

As the finish neared, teams were expecting a bunch sprint to take the stage. This was until Daniele Bennati jumped ahead, building up a twenty-six second gap on the bunch with just 5km to go. The pace rocketed and on the smooth, flat roads on the approach to the finish, it seemed unlikely the Italian rider could hold onto his advantage. Crossing the line three seconds ahead of the second-placed rider, he took the win, showing that he had fully recovered from his early-season crash and was back to his winning ways.

 

"If I have to be honest, it was a surprise. I did not know my form as it is only my second race after a long period without racing after a bad injury. However, I am very happy, because I really needed a win like this," Daniele Bennati told CyclingQuotes.com after the stage.

 

"When we got close to the finish line the first time, I said to Michael Valgren that it was the right time to attack, and so I tried together with him and a few riders. I tried again and came away with Mads.

 

"In the radio Valgren said that I should continue because he knew I could beat the Danish rider on the finish line. It was perfect help from Valgren.”

 

"I'm a sprinter, so I knew I had a great chance, but you have to respect everyone. I just tried to keep his wheel until 200 meters from the line and then I just gave everything. I could see that I had a few meters, and then I knew that I had won.

 

"I want to take it day by day, because I am still not quite sure of my form. Right now I just want to enjoy the victory.”

 

Ahead of the stage, the team had come up with a plan, and Michaelsen explained that it had been carried out perfectly.

 

“We had a plan for the final 60km, which we executed to perfection. If the wind were stronger I think we could have been in an even better GC position. When the chase group came in reach as we hit the finishing laps we decided that we had to go on the attack. Boaro went first and got away, then Benna got away with a really strong time trialist.”

 

Having taken not only the win, but also three top ten places on stage 1, it’s clear that the guys are ready to race. Stage 2 features similar terrain and at 180km will allow riders to stretch their legs again. Starting on the island of Rømø, the race will cross the country heading east to the finish in Sønderborg. An slightly uphill finish will challenge the sprinters, but if they can negotiate the narrow roads, tight bends and the technical finishing circuit, the win could be theirs.

 

Ahead of the second day of the race, Michaelsen was looking to build on the successes of today’s race.

 

“We're really happy with the result even if the GC situation could have been better. We knew that we had to take responsibility here and we did that. We will continue to defend tomorrow and take it day as we have other GC cards to play.”

 

In-form Mads Würtz: I am not the favourite

"I'm not the favorite for the GC. We are still many who can achieve something in the standings, and you should never write anyone off," Mads Würtz told CyclingQuotes.

 

"The Vejle stage is really tough, and the time trial is longer than usual so it is still an open race, but I've got a good starting point.

 

"From the bridge it was really just about riding your bike, and I know how to do that. I had expected not to lose any time. I was optimistic but the result is a good step. "

  

"I believe that there are good opportunities to do something big in the GC. The situation is really positive.”

 

Moreno Hofland: It’s a missed opportunity

Moreno Hofland finished third in the first stage of the Tour of Denmark today. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s sprinter won the kick of the first chasing group. Stage winner Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff) and Mads Würtz Schmidt (Virtu Pro Veloconcept) managed to stay in front of the group.

 

“It’s our mistake that those two riders were able to stay in front actually,” Sports Director Jan Boven said.

 

The peloton split into echelons during the first stage of the Tour of Denmark and Team LottoNL-Jumbo lacked a rider in the six-man first group.

 

“We rode a superb stage, but a bad final part of it, and that’s the most important thing. We were too far behind when four riders broke away out of the leading group. We knew that we had to stay focussed and that we shouldn’t let a Tinkoff rider escape. We failed and we weren’t strong enough to close the gap afterwards.”

 

That meant that Moreno Hofland wasn’t sprinting for the victory, but for the third place.

 

“That is annoying,” Hofland said. “When you’re with six riders in the first echelon, the chance that you win the stage improves greatly. This is a missed opportunity. We messed up in the final part of the stage and I’m fed up with that. I definitely would’ve been close for the stage win, even though you never know if you could win or not.”

 

Mike Teunissen was part of a breakaway early in the stage and grabbed enough points to wear the mountains jersey on Thursday. Thursday’s stage has a similar profile. 

 

“We have to stay focussed,” Boven said. “We might sharpen our plan as the stage unfolds tomorrow.”

 

Andrea Guardini off to a good start in Denmark

“It’s a good start and I'm happy with my fifth place, said Andrea Guardini at the end of the first stage of the Tour of Denmark.

 

"The only regret I have is not being able to close the gap to the two that left the small group on the final circuit. I was alone and I could not do much.”

 

"We could be a little more careful but Andrea has shown that he is good and there will be new opportunities,” said sports director Dmitri Sedoun.

 

Rudiger Selig takes over from Bauhaus in Denmark

With about 30k to go the peloton splits as expected in a crosswind section. 24 riders were in the first group, including Rüdiger Selig from BORA – ARGON 18. But sports director Steffen Radochla was not satisfied with the situation and pushed the team in the second group to chase hard.The work of BORA – ARGON 18 in the second group paid off and on the last laps the gap to the first group was closed.

 

In the group behind Rudi Selig sprinted to a good 7th place. With Thwaites, Herklotz, Pfingsten and Bauhaus also in this first group, the team now also has different GC options.

 

“I tried to save energy in the front because Lotto-Jumbo and Tinkoff had several riders in the group. When the attacks started I jumped two or three times but we could not go clear. Because the guys had to chase hard in the second group, I had to do the sprint instead of Phil who was already tired from chasing. The 7th place is ok. The home straight was a little too hard for me and also the last climb on the circuit cost a lot of energy,” said Rüdiger Selig

 

Stölting saved by the bell in Danish opener

Stage 1 of the Tour of Denmark (2.HC) consisted of 200 km from Herning to Esbjerg. The narrow bridge of Kammerslusen with 50 km to go split the peloton, Michael Carbel was the only Team Stölting Service Group rider in the front group. On the finishing circuits two riders got off and sprinted for the victory while the chasing groups with more Team Stölting Service Group riders got back to the first peloton before the finish.

 

Four riders attacked after 11 km and had a three-minute advantage for a long time. Shortly after passing through Ribe, Denmark’s oldest city, the break was caught by the peloton that was closing in on the Kammerslusen bridge in crosswinds. A fall on the bridge itself partially blocked the roadway, meaning that only a few riders got through without having to brake. Danish champion Alexander Kamp was also caught out, only Michael Carbel made it into the front group of 27 riders.

 

The chasing group with several Team Stölting Service Group riders reduced the gap to the first peloton to only a few seconds and could close the gap before the finish. Bennati won the stage, Rasmus Guldhammer and Alexander Kamp finished 16 seconds down within the first peloton.

 

“The wind blew from the south today,” explained Sports Director Gregor Willwohl after the stage. “That meant headwind for most of the stage, and we knew it would be pointless to join the break; so most of the stage was quite relaxed for us. The bridge at km 152 was the decisive point on the course today, and the passage through Ribe just before was very technical and partly on cobbles, so you had to be attentive there too. Alex Kirsch punctured just before Ribe at a very bad time. And on the long straight west to the bridge everybody raced all-out.”

 

Willwohl continued: “We weren’t positioned quite as far up as we’d hoped for at the bridge, so only Michael Carbel made it into the front group. We had three riders in the second group who worked to close the gap while Carbel sat on the wheels up front. If Tinkoff had pulled with all their might to the finish, we wouldn’t have made it. But luckily they let Bennati and Würtz go in the final. This meant that the chasers came back, also helped by Carbel who dropped back and worked hard to make sure they would make it. It looked bleak for a time, but in the end we hardly lost any time.”

 

Difficult start for ONE in Denmark

For ONE, Danish riders Martin Mortensen and Sebastian Lander were positioned really well on the entry going into the bridge, crossing safely and managing to gain contact with a front chase group of 27 riders. Meanwhile Kristian House wasn’t far behind an a group of approximately 25 and had their eyes firmly set on the group in front.  Unfortunately the rest of the team were caught out and found themselves fighting for position at the rear of the peloton, ultimately ending their hope of a stage result in the closing stages of the race.

 

As riders continued to fight for their position and try and make up ground after crossing the bridge, the pace continued to intensify all the way to the finish and Sebastian Lander found himself slipping out of the chase group and into the group behind. Once in the second group, he suffered a puncture and after receiving attention from neutral service was unable to make his way back into the group.

 

Onto the finishing circuit with 2.5 laps to go, the second group on the road which included Kristian House worked hard to catch up and rejoin the chase group which included Martin Mortensen.

 

Novo Nordisk caught out in Danish opener

“Today was my first day back after my crash at the Tour de Pologne and I could definitely still feel the effects of the crash,” Novo Nordisk’s David Lozano said. “It was a tough day on the bike and the bridge ended up making the day. We had good position and a few of the guys were feeling strong up to that point but if you weren’t in the first few riders, it meant basically the end of your day.”