Pedersen took the Danes’ third victory in four days
This week, it is undoubtedly Denmark that «owns the cycling world». On Friday, Mads Pedersen cycled to his first stage victory in the Tour de France.
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When Edvald Boasson-Hagen won the sixth stage of the Tour de France in 2011, with Thor Hushovd in the yellow leader jersey in third place, TV 2 commentator Christian Paasche exclaimed at the time that “we own the cycling world”.
– I remember that at one point it was said that “Norway owns the cycling world”. Well, it’s Denmark, Pedersen says to TV 2 after Friday’s victory.
– It is incredible to finally know the victory. I knew the shape was very good. To take the chance today and get the reward, it is very nice, says the 26-year-old in the victory interview.
The Tour de France has been a single long party for Danes. The race started in the Danish capital Copenhagen on July 1, and during three days on the Danish roads, thousands of Danes flocked to the trails.
Magnus Cort (29) cycled for several days in the climbing jersey, but it was after he lost it that it really took off for the Danish cyclists.
On Tuesday, Cort was strongest as the break went all the way into the 10th stage. The next day, Jonas Vingegaard (25) was completely superior on the way up the Col du Granon and took both the stage victory and the yellow leader jersey.
1 of 3Photo: Colin Flockton / Pa Photos
Vingegaard defended the lead well up to Alpe d’Huez on Thursday, and on Friday it was again Danish cheers. Former world champion Mads Pedersen joined Fred Wright and Hugo Houle in the final kilometer. In the sprint, Pedersen was the big favorite, and he fulfilled the favorite stamp and won the stage.
– It’s incredible the success they’ve had. Starting in your home country does not guarantee success, but they do get real results, says Irish cycling legend Sean Kelly to Eurosport.
Danish Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) was the first to attack during the 13th stage of the Tour de France to Saint-Étienne, the city where Alexander Kristoff took his first stage victory in the Tour de France back in 2014. The Norwegian also had hopes for Friday’s stage , but it would turn out that the field never managed to recover the breach. There sat Pedersen, who was one of seven riders who finally recovered from a several mile long wrestling match.
The main field tried for a long time to control the lead up to the break of around two minutes for it to become a mass sprint, but after Caleb Ewan overturned and his teammates in Lotto-Soudal disappeared from the front of the main field, the distance grew to well over three minutes . Team BikeExchange-Jayco made an attempt to close the gap, but never managed to get the lead under two minutes again. With 15 kilometers left, they thus chose to throw in the towel, and just after, the attacks started in the break.
Again, it was Pedersen who started the offensive, with an attack 12 kilometers from goal. Hugo Houle (Israel-Premier Tech) and Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) drive up, while Filippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) and Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) had to drop out.
Houle, Pedersen and Wright came together to the finish, where Pedersen started the sprint with 250 meters again and won ahead of Wright and Houle.
Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty) was the best of the Norwegian riders on the stage. He came in 14th place, barely six minutes behind Pedersen.