The final day of racing in Denmark saw the peloton faced with a 182 kilometre long route from Vejle to Sønderborg. Despite a few small hills to contest it was a route that suited the fast men in the bunch, and with the only breakaway rider being the current KOM jersey holder, the day was destined to end in a sprint finish barring accident.

Riding well together throughout the day, the team stuck together as a group and held their position well in the bunch. With just under 50 kilometres to go the lone leader was caught and all attention switched to the expected sprint finish. The team stayed out of trouble when a crash inside the final ten kilometres halted some of the peloton, with Kevin Vermaerke and Romain Bardet doing a good job to keep John Degenkolb, Nils Eekhoff and Alberto Dainese at the head of proceedings. Degenkolb did his turn and left Eekhoff and Dainese in a good position at around two kilometres to go.

Around the twisting corners things were chaotic and Dainese lost Eekhoff but the two tried to find each other again after the last turn. In the long finish straight Dainese had to start his effort from behind, weaving his way through the opposition in front of him and finishing quickly to cross the line in a good seventh place.

“It was a bit more relaxed day than yesterday but in the final it became chaotic again,” explained Dainese after the finish. “We were together with the whole team and the guys rode really well. In the last kilometres we were really in the front and avoided the crashes, so it was a good job. Romain, John and Nils brought me into a good position in the last corner. Then I waited a bit too much behind Jakobsen and couldn’t really launch the sprint but the feeling is good so next time we’ll go for a better result.”

Team DSM coach Matt Winston added: “It was really good team work today from the guys. They stayed together and fought for each other really well. Coming into the final was good commitment to bring Alberto into a good position to try and sprint. He was a little bit blocked but got seventh at the line. It’s a nice start to the Tour here in Denmark and we will keep building on this back in France.”