Cavendish's lead out man Renshaw takes Denmark stage

Mark Renshaw took his first win since he joined HTC-Columbia and since being disqualified from the Tour de France. Australia's Renshaw won stage four of the Tour of Denmark today in Odense ahead of team-mate Matt Goss.

Alex Rasmussen (Saxo Bank) and track world champion, Theo Bos (Cervélo TestTeam) finished third and fourth. Dane Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank) retained the overall lead and will defend it this afternoon in a time trial in Middelfart.

Renshaw took this morning stage after 100 kilometres racing and 23 days since Tour de France officials disqualified him following a risky manoeuvre in the closing metres of the stage to Bourg-lès-Valence. Cavendish won the stage to take win number three, but the win came after Renshaw pushed his head into rival Julian Dean (Garmin-Transitions) three times.

Renshaw said that his tactics were to make way for himself and to allow Cavendish to get through. The race jury reviewed the replay, found the manoeuvre inappropriate and disqualified Renshaw.

"Renshaw makes my job super easy," Cavendish said after he lost his team-mate. "He just delivers me to 200 metres to go and I go."

Cavendish went on to win again in Bordeaux and Paris after Renshaw's disqualification. Today, though, was Renshaw's turn.

The stage was his first win since he won a stage of the Circuit Franco-Belge in Poperinge, Belgium in 2008. He then raced with team Crédit Agricole and was in charge of leading out Cavendish's rival, Norwegian Thor Hushovd. He left the team at the end of 2008 to join HTC.

Renshaw's win was the second stage win in four days by team HTC. Australian Goss won the opening stage in Holstebro.