Remco Evenepoel secured the seventh stage race victory of his career by winning the final stage five time trial at the 2021 Tour of Denmark.
Last off the start ramp as the race leader, the 21-year-old crossed the line 10km later with a time just one second faster than home rider Søren Kragh Andersen (DSM), Evenepoel's second stage win of the five-day race.
Trek-Segafredo's Dane, the former world champion Mads Pedersen finished third, six seconds down on the quickest time, to move himself up to second overall, 1-42 down on the Belgian. Jumbo-Visma's Mike Teunissen was third overall, two minutes in arrears.
Mark Cavendish managed a top 10 finish in the race against the clock, finishing ninth, 31 seconds down on his team-mate's best time, the Manxman leaving the race without a stage win following his sensational comeback at the Tour de France, coming closest on stage two of the Tour of Denmark.
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“In a time trial you always go deep, and that’s what I did today. I didn’t see myself as the main favourite for the win, but getting it makes me happy, especially as it came on a short and technical ITT, with a lot of turns, that normally doesn’t suit me," Evenepoel said after the finish.
"I didn’t take any risks, as the main goal was to come home safely and wrap up the GC, but I’m delighted with the victory, because it’s always nice to get one in the leader’s jersey. It was the cherry on the cake at the end of a beautiful week.”
Result
Tour of Denmark 2021, stage five: Frederiksberg to Frederiksberg (10.8km)
1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, in 0-12-13
2. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) DSM, at one second
3. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, at 6s
4. Edoardo Affini (Ita) Jumbo-Visma, at 7s
5. Jannik Steilme (Ger) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 14s
6. Mike Teunissen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma, at 20s
7. Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, at 23s
8. Morten Hulgaard (Den) Uno-X, at 28s
9. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 31s
10. Adam Holm Jørgensen (Den) BHS-PL Beton Bornholm
Final general classification
1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, in 17-19-17
2. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, at 1-42
3. Mike Teunissen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma, at 2-00
4. Nick Van der Lijke (Ned) Riwal Readynez, at 2-14
5. Tosh Van der Sande (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 2-30
6. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) DSM, at 3-46
7. Anthon Charmig (Den) Uno-X, at 3-51
8. Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, at 4-06
9. Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo, at 4-42
10. Lucas Eriksson (Swe) Riwal Cycling Team
