In the closing stage of the Tour of Denmark, nine riders quickly formed the traditional early breakaway. The leading group built up a solid advantage of more than three minutes, but was caught by the peloton with 21 kilometers to go, where the black-and-yellow formation made its presence felt at the front.

On the demanding local finishing circuits, Zingle demonstrated his strong legs by keeping up with the best on the uphill sections. The Frenchman rode to the line with four other riders, including Pedersen. In the sprint, Zingle narrowly missed out on the win, ending the Tour of Denmark with a second place.

“We knew we had a great opportunity with Axel today,” reflected sports director Maarten Wynants. “Together with other teams we controlled the stage well and made sure Axel was positioned close to Pedersen. In the finale Axel did everything he could, but the strongest rider won. The performances over the past few days certainly give confidence for the upcoming races.”