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TOUR DE FRANCE

IN PICTURES: The Tour de France starts in Denmark

The 109th edition of the famous Tour de France bike race set off from Copenhagen this week. Here's the best pictures so far as the world's biggest bike race makes its way through Denmark.

Published: 2 July 2022 15:41 CEST
Updated: 3 July 2022 17:47 CEST
IN PICTURES: The Tour de France starts in Denmark
Spectators watch the Tour de France Stage 2 between Roskilde and Nyborg in Denmark on July 2nd 2022. Photo: Annegret Hilse/Ritzau Scanpix

The Tour de France has a long tradition of kicking off its first stage abroad. Whether it be Amsterdam back in 1954, the very first time the race was taken abroad, San Sebastián in Spain in 1992, or Leeds in the north of England in 2014, having the first tour of the famous French bike race abroad always attracts excitement to the host city and always attracts a crowd.

If you’ve lived in or visited Denmark, you’ll know that the Danes are crazy about bikes. The Tour de France, therefore, has unsurprisingly gotten them a little excited.

This year, the three-day ‘Denmark Grand Depart’ of the Tour de France attracted massive crowds that lined the streets as riders sped past famous landmarks including the Little Mermaid statue, the harbour-front Blox building, and the Amalienborg palace, where Crown Prince Frederik even joined the celebrations.

Here’s a look at the best pictures from the Danish stages of the famous French bike race so far.

Spectators during the second stage of the Tour de France between Roskilde to Nyborg. Photo: Annegret Hilse/Ritzau Scanpix
 

After some scorching weather in Denmark over the last week, it did, predictably, start to rain an hour before the event.

Romain Bardet of DSM at Amalienborg Slotsplads in Copenhagen during the individual time trial of Tour de France on July 1st 2022. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

On Saturday the 2nd of July, the Tour entered its second stage: a 202km journey between Roskilde and Nyborg. Wind and rain are forecast along the coastal route for Saturday’s stage two with a predicted crosswind on the giant 20km Grand Belt Bridge at the end of the race.

Danish Minister of transport Trine Bramsen (L), French European and Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (2nd L) applaud during a ceremony marking the start of the 2nd stage of the 109th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 202, 2 km between Roskilde and Nyborg, in Denmark, on July 2, 2022. Photo: Marco BERTORELLO /AFP

Magnus Cort of team EF at Asnæs Indelukke during the second stage of Tour de France between Roskilde and Nyborg, Denmark on July 1, 2022. Photo: Keld Navntoft/Ritzau Scanpix

Spectators holding a Danish flag look on as the pack of riders cycles during the Danish stages of the Tour de France. Photo: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT /AFP
 
 
Unsurprisingly, the Danish crowds were giving extra support to the Danish riders in the race.

Trek-Segafredo team’s Danish rider Mads Pedersen cycles during the 1st stage of the 109th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 13, 2 km individual time trial stage in Copenhagen, in Denmark, on July 1, 2022. Photo: Marco BERTORELLO/AFP

Denmark’s Mads Pedersen, right, and Netherlands Bauke Mollema, centre, greet cheering fans during the team presentation in Copenhagen onWednesday, June 29, 2022, ahead of the start of the race on July 1st. Photo: Daniel Cole/AP
 
 
Unfortunately it wasn’t a Dane in the lead after the first day, but a Belgian.

Belgian rider Yves Lampaert celebrates with the overall leader’s yellow jersey on the podium after the 1st stage of the 109th edition of the Tour de France in Copenhagen. Photo: Marco BERTORELLO/AFP
 
As the 2nd stage ends on Saturday, riders will face strong forecast winds on the Grand Belt Bridge.

The Great Belt Bridge during the second stage of Tour de France between Roskilde and Nyborg, Denmark on July 2, 2022. Photo: Ritzau Scanpix

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SPORT

Denmark’s Vingegaard having ‘tough time’ after Tour de France triumph

Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard has been having a "tough time" since winning the Tour de France in July, the sporting director of his club Jumbo Visma said Thursday.

Published: 18 August 2022 14:31 CEST
Denmark's Vingegaard having 'tough time' after Tour de France triumph

The 25-year-old rider — who was absent from the start of the Tour of Denmark on Tuesday and will not participate in September’s world road race championships in Australia — has kept a low profile since his triumphant return to Copenhagen.

Tens of thousands of people lined the streets to welcome the Tour de France champion back to Denmark following his victory last month.

“I understand that fans want to see Jonas, and I spoke to him about it yesterday. But he has had a very tough time after the Tour”, Frans Maassen told daily Ekstra Bladet.

“We would have liked to show him off during this race (the Tour of Denmark), but we also have to understand that it was difficult to win the Tour de France, what with everything that comes with it.”

Vingegaard’s presence would also have heaped even more pressure on him, he said.

The rider has not commented on his absence from his home race.

“It’s one thing to be physically ready, but you also have to be mentally ready,” Tour of Denmark official Frank Hyldgaard told Danish news agency Ritzau.

After having “invested a lot” in the Tour de France, “there’s no doubt that he’s exhausted now,” Quickstep cyclist Michael Morkov told Ekstra Bladet.

Long seen as a stigma, the mental health struggles of top athletes have in recent years come into focus as an increasing number of stars open up publicly about their problems.

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