Racing to his first victory since taking the final stage of the Tour de France, Mark Cavendish today showed his speed on stage six of the Tour of Denmark.
The Team Sky rider zoomed home ahead of Matteo Pelucchi (Team Europcar), Andre Greipel (Lotto Belisol) and Andrew Fenn (Omega Pharma - Quickstep), nabbing his twelfth world-ranked victory of the season.
“The team controlled the race the whole way,” a pleased Cavendish said afterwards. “The lads had great faith in me and delivered me to the line perfect. I’m really happy to get the win and repay their hard work, especially as I haven’t been in the best form recently.
“I won here in 2007 as well as winning the rainbow jersey in Denmark and it’s great to come back here and win here again.”
Yesterday’s time trial victor Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil DCM) finished 20th on the stage and defended his race lead, winning the Danish tour outright. Closest rivals Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp) and Manuele Boaro (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) were unable to get the time they needed, and ended up second and third.
Early on five riders managed to break the elastic and go clear; these were Saxo Bank Tinkoff Bank’s Michael Morkov, Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol), Oscar Freire (Katusha), Tom Leezer (Rabobank) and Morten Høberg (Team Concordia Insurance Himmerland).
Høberg later dropped back to the Team Sky-led peloton, while the other four battled to try to extend their lead past 40 seconds.
The peloton was split into two by a crash 34 kilometres into the stage; five kilometres later the break was recaptured, then another five kilometres afterwards the peloton came back into one big group.
The unity lasted ten kilometres, then Danish champion Sebastian Lander (G & M-LRØ) plus Christian Haugaard (Team Post Denmark). The bunch let them go and just six kilometres later their gap went up to a minute. Twenty kilometres later, eighty kilometres after the start they were three minutes clear.
That gap remained constant as they crossed the finish line in Frederiksberg Alle for the first time. Behind, Cavendish’s Sky team and race leader Lieuwe Westra’s Vacansoleil squad were chasing; the collaboration would see lone chaser Rasmus Quaade (Blue Water Cycling) caught, then a little later reel in Haugaard, who had been attacked by Lander.
The latter was just twenty seconds ahead with 147 kilometres covered and was himself caught soon after.
Other riders tried to attack but the sprinters’ teams had things under control and kept things together until the line. There Cavendish redisplayed his speed, beating Pelucchi, Greipel and the rest to the line.
Westra finished in the same group and ended the race ten seconds clear of Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp) and fourteen up on Manuele Boaro (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank).
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha Team) beat Greipel by a point in the sprints classification, Nikola Aistrup (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) was best climber, while Sebastian Lander (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) and Wilco Kelderman (Rabobank Cycling Team) were on top in the aggressive rider and youth categories.
Tour of Denmark (2.HC)
Stage 6: Slagelse – Frederiksberg:
1, Mark Cavendish (Sky Procycling) 165 kilometres in 3 hours 31 mins 56 secs
2, Matteo Pelucchi (Team Europcar)
3, Andre Greipel (Lotto Belisol Team)
4, Andrew Fenn (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)
5, Alexander Kristoff (Katusha Team)
6, Jonathan Cantwell (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank)
7, Sacha Modolo (Colnago - CSF Inox)
8, Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator)
9, Tom Van Asbroeck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator)
10, Marco Coledan (Colnago - CSF Inox)
11, Stijn Neirynck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator)
12, Tom Leezer (Rabobank Cycling Team)
13, Steele Von Hoff (Garmin-Sharp)
14, Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator)
15, Angelo Furlan (Christina Watches - Onfone)
16, Casper Degn Larsen (Blue Water Cycling)
17, Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp)
18, Alexander Porsev (Katusha Team)
19, Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)
20, Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
21, Nikolay Trusov (RusVelo)
22, Maxime Vantomme (Katusha Team)
23, Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)
24, Luke Rowe (Sky Procycling)
25, Wilco Kelderman (Rabobank Cycling Team)
26, Mark Sehested Pedersen (Blue Water Cycling)
27, Rafaa Chtioui (Team Europcar)
28, Sébastien Turgot (Team Europcar)
29, Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol Team)
30, Manuele Boaro (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank)
31, Tony Hurel (Team Europcar)
32, Alexey Tsatevich (Katusha Team)
33, Michael Reihs (Christina Watches - Onfone)
34, Stefan Schumacher (Christina Watches - Onfone)
35, Mathias Lisson (Denmark)
36, Maxim Belkov (Katusha Team)
37, Jaroslaw Marycz (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank)
38, Laurens De Vreese (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator)
39, Michael Valgren Andersen (Glud & Marstrand - LRO)
40, Jacob Rathe (Garmin-Sharp)
41, Artur Ershov (RusVelo)
42, Rasmus Guldhammer (Christina Watches - Onfone)
43, Morten Øllegaard (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland)
44, David Veilleux (Team Europcar)
45, Mads Christensen (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank)
46, Michael Rogers (Sky Procycling)
47, Gustav Larsson (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
48, Sebastian Balck (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland)
49, Lars-Petter Nordhaug (Sky Procycling)
50, Kristian Haugaard (Denmark)
51, Sonny Colbrelli (Colnago - CSF Inox)
52, Mads Meyer (Denmark)
53, Graeme Brown (Rabobank Cycling Team)
54, Bert Grabsch (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)
55, Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator)
56, Jonas Van Genechten (Lotto Belisol Team)
57, Scully Tomas (Garmin-Sharp)
58, Thomas Frei (Christina Watches - Onfone)
59, Michael Mørkøv (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank)
60, Jonas Aaen Jørgensen (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank)
61, Coen Vermeltfoort (Rabobank Cycling Team)
62, Damien Gaudin (Team Europcar)
63, Maarten Wynants (Rabobank Cycling Team)
64, Daniel Holm Foder (Christina Watches - Onfone)
65, Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)
66, Mikkel Mortensen (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland)
67, Michael Rasmussen (Christina Watches - Onfone)
68, Stefan Denifl (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
69, Florian Senechal (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)
70, Eliot Lietaer (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator)
71, Anton Vorobyev (Katusha Team)
72, Jesper Odgaard Nielsen (Blue Water Cycling)
73, Jos Van Emden (Rabobank Cycling Team)
74, Jacek Morajko (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
75, Christopher Juul-Jensen (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank)
76, Wesley Kreder (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
77, Jelle Vanendert (Lotto Belisol Team)
78, Alexander Serov (RusVelo)
79, Martin Mortensen (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) at 19 secs
80, Dennis Vanendert (Lotto Belisol Team)
81, Marcel Sieberg (Lotto Belisol Team) at 21 secs
82, Christian Delle Stelle (Colnago - CSF Inox) at 25 secs
83, Theo Bos (Rabobank Cycling Team)
84, Geraint Thomas (Sky Procycling)
85, Alexander Mørk (Denmark)
86, Jasper Hamelink (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
87, Sebastian Rosseler (Garmin-Sharp)
88, Sebastian Lander (Glud & Marstrand - LRO)
89, Viktor Manokov (RusVelo)
90, Francis De Greef (Lotto Belisol Team)
91, Rasmus Sterebo (Glud & Marstrand - LRO)
92, Lasse Bøchman (Glud & Marstrand - LRO)
93, Martin Pedersen (Christina Watches - Onfone)
94, Robbie Hunter (Garmin-Sharp)
95, Alexey Markov (RusVelo) at 31 secs
96, Morten Høberg (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland)
97, Rick Flens (Rabobank Cycling Team)
98, Andreas Klier (Garmin-Sharp)
99, Kasper Schjønnemann (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 35 secs
100, Simon Eiby (Denmark)
101, Kasper Linde Jørgensen (Glud & Marstrand - LRO)
102, Damsbo Magnus Lund (Denmark) at mins 53 secs
103, Nikola Aistrup (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 1 min 8 secs
104, Jacob Nielsen (Blue Water Cycling)
105, Søren Pugdahl Pedersen (Blue Water Cycling)
106, Oscar Freire Gomez (Katusha Team)
107, Casper Folsach (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland)
108, Sven Vandousselaere (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) at 1 min 11 secs
109, Christian Moberg Jørgensen (Glud & Marstrand - LRO)
110, Peter Kennaugh (Sky Procycling) at 1 min 19 secs
111, Bernhard Eisel (Sky Procycling) at 1 min 28 secs
112, Marco Bandiera (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) at 1 min 40 secs
113, Michal Golas (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)
114, Omar Lombardi (Colnago - CSF Inox)
115, Andrea De Corrado (Colnago - CSF Inox) at 1 min 42 secs
116, Frederik Thalund Jensen (Blue Water Cycling) at 1 min 49 secs
117, Christian Jersild Jensen (Blue Water Cycling)
118, Björn Thurau (Team Europcar)
119, Mathias Gade Jacobsen (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) at 2 mins 1 secs
120, Christian Ranneries (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland)
121, Davide Martinelli (Sky Procycling)
122, Jesper Mørkøv (Denmark) at 3 mins 5 secs
123, Rasmus Quaade (Blue Water Cycling)
DNF Vladimir Gusev (Katusha Team)
DNF Nicola Boem (Colnago - CSF Inox)
DNF Greg Henderson (Lotto Belisol Team)
DNF Barry Markus (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
Final general classification:
1, Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) 20 hours 41 mins 47 secs
2, Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp) at 10 secs
3, Manuele Boaro (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) at 14 secs
4, Alexander Kristoff (Katusha Team) at 24 secs
5, Damien Gaudin (Team Europcar) at 25 secs
6, Andre Greipel (Lotto Belisol Team) at 27 secs
7, Wilco Kelderman (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 31 secs
8, Stefan Schumacher (Christina Watches - Onfone) at 35 secs
9, Michael Rogers (Sky Procycling) at 38 secs
10, Lars-Petter Nordhaug (Sky Procycling) at 41 secs
11, Gustav Larsson (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) at 47 secs
12, Maxim Belkov (Katusha Team)
13, Tom Leezer (Rabobank Cycling Team)
14, Luke Rowe (Sky Procycling) at 48 secs
15, Mads Christensen (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) at 49 secs
16, Michael Mørkøv (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) at 50 secs
17, David Veilleux (Team Europcar) at 51 secs
18, Jaroslaw Marycz (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) at 54 secs
19, Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) at 55 secs
20, Michael Valgren Andersen (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) at 59 secs
21, Jelle Vanendert (Lotto Belisol Team) at 1 min 0 secs
22, Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol Team) at 1 min 8 secs
23, Maxime Vantomme (Katusha Team) at 1 min 10 secs
24, Jacob Rathe (Garmin-Sharp) at 1 min 13 secs
25, Rafaa Chtioui (Team Europcar) at 1 min 15 secs
26, Rasmus Guldhammer (Christina Watches - Onfone) at 1 min 18 secs
27, Kristian Haugaard (Denmark) at 1 min 19 secs
28, Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) at 1 min 20 secs
29, Bert Grabsch (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) at 1 min 22 secs
30, Thomas Frei (Christina Watches - Onfone) at 1 min 25 secs
31, Tony Hurel (Team Europcar) at 1 min 27 secs
32, Sonny Colbrelli (Colnago - CSF Inox) at 1 min 30 secs
33, Florian Senechal (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) at 1 min 32 secs
34, Eliot Lietaer (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) at 1 min 34 secs
35, Martin Mortensen (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) at 1 min 37 secs
36, Sébastien Turgot (Team Europcar) at 1 min 39 secs
37, Stefan Denifl (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) at 1 min 40 secs
38, Jonathan Cantwell (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank)
39, Stijn Neirynck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator)
40, Christopher Juul-Jensen (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) at 1 min 51 secs
41, Tom Van Asbroeck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) at 2 mins 6 secs
42, Daniel Holm Foder (Christina Watches - Onfone)
43, Steele Von Hoff (Garmin-Sharp) at 2 mins 17 secs
44, Sebastian Lander (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) at 2 mins 22 secs
45, Jacek Morajko (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) at 2 mins 24 secs
46, Lasse Bøchman (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) at 2 mins 38 secs
47, Laurens De Vreese (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) at 2 mins 42 secs
48, Rasmus Sterebo (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) at 3 mins 15 secs
49, Sacha Modolo (Colnago - CSF Inox) at 3 mins 22 secs
50, Nikolay Trusov (RusVelo) at 3 mins 27 secs
51, Michael Rasmussen (Christina Watches - Onfone) at 3 mins 30 secs
52, Michal Golas (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) at 3 mins 31 secs
53, Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) at 4 mins 1 secs
54, Oscar Freire Gomez (Katusha Team) at 4 mins 17 secs
55, Björn Thurau (Team Europcar) at 4 mins 28 secs
56, Artur Ershov (RusVelo) at 4 mins 46 secs
57, Mathias Lisson (Denmark) at 4 mins 58 secs
58, Jonas Aaen Jørgensen (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) at 5 mins 10 secs
59, Jos Van Emden (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 5 mins 12 secs
60, Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) at 5 mins 21 secs
61, Marcel Sieberg (Lotto Belisol Team) at 5 mins 35 secs
62, Maarten Wynants (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 5 mins 37 secs
63, Alexander Porsev (Katusha Team) at 5 mins 43 secs
64, Anton Vorobyev (Katusha Team)
65, Mads Meyer (Denmark) at 6 mins 16 secs
66, Morten Øllegaard (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 6 mins 28 secs
67, Sebastian Balck (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 6 mins 40 secs
68, Casper Degn Larsen (Blue Water Cycling) at 6 mins 42 secs
69, Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) at 6 mins 43 secs
70, Dennis Vanendert (Lotto Belisol Team) at 6 mins 46 secs
71, Søren Pugdahl Pedersen (Blue Water Cycling) at 7 mins 44 secs
72, Omar Lombardi (Colnago - CSF Inox) at 8 mins 7 secs
73, Angelo Furlan (Christina Watches - Onfone) at 8 mins 16 secs
74, Alexey Tsatevich (Katusha Team) at 8 mins 34 secs
75, Mark Sehested Pedersen (Blue Water Cycling) at 9 mins 34 secs
76, Jasper Hamelink (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) at 9 mins 35 secs
77, Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) at 10 mins 28 secs
78, Mark Cavendish (Sky Procycling)
79, Francis De Greef (Lotto Belisol Team) at 10 mins 33 secs
80, Marco Coledan (Colnago - CSF Inox) at 11 mins 10 secs
81, Wesley Kreder (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) at 11 mins 13 secs
82, Sven Vandousselaere (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) at 11 mins 18 secs
83, Andrew Fenn (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) at 11 mins 55 secs
84, Rick Flens (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 12 mins 1 secs
85, Matteo Pelucchi (Team Europcar) at 12 mins 5 secs
86, Simon Eiby (Denmark) at 12 mins 7 secs
87, Christian Delle Stelle (Colnago - CSF Inox) at 12 mins 20 secs
88, Michael Reihs (Christina Watches - Onfone) at 12 mins 58 secs
89, Viktor Manokov (RusVelo) at 13 mins 20 secs
90, Mikkel Mortensen (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 13 mins 34 secs
91, Coen Vermeltfoort (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 14 mins 40 secs
92, Marco Bandiera (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) at 15 mins 36 secs
93, Jacob Nielsen (Blue Water Cycling) at 16 mins 23 secs
94, Bernhard Eisel (Sky Procycling) at 18 mins 7 secs
95, Scully Tomas (Garmin-Sharp) at 18 mins 8 secs
96, Alexander Serov (RusVelo) at 18 mins 13 secs
97, Robbie Hunter (Garmin-Sharp) at 18 mins 22 secs
98, Alexey Markov (RusVelo) at 18 mins 57 secs
99, Nikola Aistrup (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 19 mins 8 secs
100, Kasper Linde Jørgensen (Glud & Marstrand - LRO)
101, Davide Martinelli (Sky Procycling) at 19 mins 19 secs
102, Theo Bos (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 19 mins 32 secs
103, Andreas Klier (Garmin-Sharp) at 19 mins 39 secs
104, Graeme Brown (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 20 mins 7 secs
105, Martin Pedersen (Christina Watches - Onfone) at 21 mins 2 secs
106, Jesper Mørkøv (Denmark) at 21 mins 3 secs
107, Sebastian Rosseler (Garmin-Sharp) at 21 mins 41 secs
108, Geraint Thomas (Sky Procycling) at 23 mins 5 secs
109, Frederik Thalund Jensen (Blue Water Cycling) at 23 mins 6 secs
110, Alexander Mørk (Denmark) at 23 mins 27 secs
111, Christian Moberg Jørgensen (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) at 23 mins 53 secs
112, Andrea De Corrado (Colnago - CSF Inox) at 25 mins 13 secs
113, Damsbo Magnus Lund (Denmark) at 25 mins 15 secs
114, Jonas Van Genechten (Lotto Belisol Team) at 26 mins 16 secs
115, Peter Kennaugh (Sky Procycling) at 28 mins 19 secs
116, Kasper Schjønnemann (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 30 mins 10 secs
117, Christian Ranneries (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 31 mins 33 secs
118, Morten Høberg (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 33 mins 37 secs
119, Jesper Odgaard Nielsen (Blue Water Cycling) at 34 mins 56 secs
120, Christian Jersild Jensen (Blue Water Cycling) at 35 mins 0 secs
121, Mathias Gade Jacobsen (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) at 35 mins 9 secs
122, Rasmus Quaade (Blue Water Cycling) at 36 mins 56 secs
123, Casper Folsach (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) at 42 mins 58 secs
Points:
1, Alexander Kristoff (Katusha Team) 44 pts
2, Andre Greipel (Lotto Belisol Team) 43
3, Matteo Pelucchi (Team Europcar) 27
4, Mark Cavendish (Sky Procycling) 24
5, Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp) 24
6, Luke Rowe (Sky Procycling) 22
7, Andrew Fenn (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) 21
8, Theo Bos (Rabobank Cycling Team) 20
9, Stefan Schumacher (Christina Watches - Onfone) 17
10, Steele Von Hoff (Garmin-Sharp) 16
Mountains:
1, Nikola Aistrup (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) 84 pts
2, Morten Høberg (Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland) 44
3, Jacob Nielsen (Blue Water Cycling) 26
4, Jesper Odgaard Nielsen (Blue Water Cycling) 24
5, Sebastian Lander (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) 20
6, Jonas Aaen Jørgensen (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) 20
7, Anton Vorobyev (Katusha Team) 18
8, Jesper Mørkøv (Denmark) 18
9, Simon Eiby (Denmark) 16
10, Alexander Mørk (Denmark) 16
Most aggressive rider:
1, Sebastian Lander (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) 10 pts
2, Jaroslaw Marycz (Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) 10
3, Sven Vandousselaere (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) 10
4, Jesper Mørkøv (Denmark) 10
5, Christian Jersild Jensen (Blue Water Cycling) 10
6, Jacob Rathe (Garmin-Sharp) 6
Young riders:
1, Wilco Kelderman (Rabobank Cycling Team) 20 hours at 42 mins 18 secs
2, Luke Rowe (Sky Procycling) at 17 secs
3, Michael Valgren Andersen (Glud & Marstrand - LRO) at 28 secs
4, Jacob Rathe (Garmin-Sharp) at 42 secs
5, Kristian Haugaard (Denmark) at 48 secs
6, Sonny Colbrelli (Colnago - CSF Inox) at 59 secs