In the stage six finale of the Tour of Denmark, Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) finished off his summer season with a victory, while Wilco Kelderman picked up the first two wins for his team since it became Belkin Pro Cycling before the Tour de France.
Kelderman took the overall lead by winning the stage five evening time trial on Saturday, a 12km test that came after a 102km road stage earlier in the day. The young Dutchman, winner of numerous white jerseys in stage races of late, held off Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol) in the final sprint stage, taken out by Cavendish.
The Manx Missile sprinted to the win ahead of the young Frenchman Bryan Coquard (Europcar) and American Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp). Sander Cordeel (Lotto-Belisol) was the last man caught out of the early break, with Omega Pharma-Quick Step and others intent on making it a sprint stage.
“I'm happy about this victory. When I came here I didn't know how my form would be after the Tour de France,” Cavendish explained. “I was still a bit tired, and this race — despite being mostly flat in Denmark — is hard. But the team rode really well. The team was always around me and supporting me. I really wanted to win today in Frederiksberg, because it is the third time I've won in three races here. This is almost like the Danish Champs-Élysées, so of course I am happy to close out the race with this kind of win.
"Now I am going home to spend some time with my family — I will normally be back for Tour of Britain. I’ve raced more than 90 days in 2013, but I am really happy with great support from the team. This has been one of my most successful seasons. It helps going to races with a team like this, because it's like staying with friends. It's always about commitment and I have it from these guys. When you have this kind of commitment as a sprinter you always have a chance to win.”
In his second year with the Dutch WorldTour team, the Denmark wins are Kelderman’s first since 2011, when he won the Tour of Norway and Thüringen Rundfahrt with the Rabobank Continental squad.
“It was a big surprise to win the time trial Saturday,” Kelderman revealed. “It was a flat, short course, but I think it was the best time trial of my career. It was really surprising, and that put me in the yellow jersey. It's really great to win here with the new team. They controlled the race for me and protected me all day. It was nice to ride in the yellow jersey."
Kelderman heads next to the Eneco Tour, where Belkin will have the returning champion in Lars Boom. “This is my first pro victory, so I am very happy," Kelderman added. “I have had no time to celebrate. Maybe we can find a restaurant here at the airport. I am so happy with the victory. And even more important was the team support, which I like most."
The determined Bak had hoped to take the final victory in front of his home crowd, but lost too much ground in the time trial.
"I felt I was strong the whole week because in every stage I finished in the front,” Bak stated. “Unfortunately I made some little mistakes during the time trial so I lost time. Kelderman was simply too strong and he finished 18 seconds ahead of me. At that point the winner of the Tour of Denmark was certain. I'm a bit disappointed because when you're so close to a victory you want to win, especially when it's a stage race in your native country. Six seconds is not much but they make the difference between first and second place. But second place is not bad either, as I aimed for top five. Next year I will absolutely go for it again."
Tour of Denmark Stage 6 Brief Results:
1, Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) in 3hr33’13”
2, Bryan Coquard (Europcar) in s.t.
3, Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp)
4, Matteo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling)
5, Alexander Porsev (Katusha)
6, Kenny Van Hummel (Vacansoleil-DCM)
7, Barry Markus (Vacansoleil-DCM)
8, Matti Breschel (Saxo-Tinkoff)
9, Yves Lampaert (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise)
10, Kenny Dehaes (Lotto-Belisol)
Final General Classification:
1, Wilco Kelderman (Belkin) in 19hr42’37”
2, Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol) at 6”
3, Matti Breschel (Saxo-Tinkoff) at 15”
4, Edoardo Zardini (Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox) at 33”
5, Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox) at 38”
6, Juan Antonio Flecha (Vacansoleil-DCM) at 47”
7, Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) at 47”
8, Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) at 51”
9, Magnus Cort Nielsen (Cult Energy) at 1’08”
10, Troels Rønning Vinther (Cult Energy) at 1’11”