Wout van Aert relieved to seal Tour of Denmark victory after avoiding heavy crash in final

Wout van Aert secured overall victory at the Tour of Denmark, successfully defending his leader's jersey through the final stage. 

For a rider whose career flits between sprint finishes, Classics and team support duties, taking an overall GC title was landmark in his season.

"It definitely means a lot. I do not often get the opportunity to compete for the general classification, so I am very happy to experience this again," said Van Aert, speaking to reporters after the race.

The final stage presented a complex tactical challenge. A large breakaway established a gap up the road, forcing Visma | Lease a Bike into active pursuit. 

The team initially held a tactical card with Ashlin Barry infiltrating the front group. However, after suffering an untimely puncture, Barry was forced out of the move and dropped back. Wanting to capitalise on the stage, Van Aert called upon his entire team to pull the breakaway back and force a bunch finish.

Although the squad successfully reeled in the break, the sprint finale proved frustrating for Van Aert, though he at least avoided getting caught up in the mass crash in the finishing straight. 11th place on the stage was enough to seal overall victory, 21 seconds clear of Lukas Kubis (Unibet Rose Rockets).

"At first, I was disappointed that I got boxed in and never really had the chance to sprint. Ultimately, I should mainly be very happy that I made it to the finish safely and held on to the jersey. But I would also have liked to compete for a result today."

Despite missing out on the final-stage sprint, Van Aert's performance throughout the week delivered clear answers regarding his condition after a period away from competition.

"In any case, it has shown me that my legs are good and that I can continue working with confidence towards my next goal. I could not have come out of this period without racing in a better way," concluded Van Aert.

With the overall jersey sealed and his fitness validated, Van Aert leaves Denmark with strong momentum heading into his remaining late-season objectives, which are likely to be the Vuelta a España and the World Championships in Canada.