"It was a chaotic finale," Van Aert reflected afterward. "I had to launch my sprint quite early. Plowright suddenly came alongside me in the final meters, and as we crossed the line I genuinely had no idea who had won. I've never experienced anything like this before. Because of Plowright's reaction, I was convinced he had taken the victory. It wasn't until we saw the photo finish that everyone realized just how close it really was. I'm incredibly happy the win went my way."

Van Aert also looked ahead to Friday's queen stage. "I think it will be a fair race, where the strongest riders will make the difference rather than tactics."

The 182.9-kilometer stage got off to a fast start, with several riders trying to force an early breakaway. Eventually, a group of seven riders managed to break clear of the peloton.

The breakaway built an advantage of more than four minutes before Team Visma | Lease a Bike joined forces with Unibet Rose Rockets at the front of the peloton to keep the gap under control.

Once the race entered the local circuit, the peloton steadily reeled in the escapees. With 10 kilometers remaining, the breakaway still held a slim 12-second advantage, but the final attackers were caught shortly afterward, setting up an expected bunch sprint.

The finale delivered exactly that. Van Aert and Plowright crossed the finish line virtually side by side, forcing the officials to rely on a photo finish to determine the winner. After several tense minutes, Van Aert was confirmed as the stage winner, securing his second consecutive victory at this year's Tour of Denmark.

With two stage wins in as many days and both the blue leader's jersey and green points jersey still in his possession, Team Visma | Lease a Bike heads into Friday's queen stage full of confidence as the battle for the overall classification continues.