Ridolfo up the road and into best young riders jersey in Denmark

Northern Italian Filippo Ridolfo is rapidly becoming the go-to breakaway specialist for Team Novo Nordisk as the 21-year-old from Udine ticked the box yet again on the opening stage of the Tour of Denmark before securing the team’s first podium in the race and slipping into the best young riders jersey.

Sports Director Gennady Mikhaylov:

“That’s a great start for us today in one of our most important races of the season. We couldn’t have hoped for a better display of intent in the home of our sponsors with Filippo straight into the first breakaway of the race and onto our first ever podium in Denmark with the best young riders jersey.”

“Matyas did very well in the final and came close to the top ten in the sprint finishing just outside in 13th. It was tough conditions throughout the second half of the stage with the rain but the result is great for us and we’ll do our best to defend the jersey tomorrow.”

Filippo Ridolfo:

“Declan tried first, but it was the third attack that went and I followed that move and it turned out to be the right one. The first 20km I really struggled, partly with the fatigue from Poland but I felt better with each kilometer and started to settle in.”

“There was a really good rotation in the group until we hit the first of the closing circuits and at that point we knew that the sprinters teams were pulling. Massimo told me on the radio to stay calm and make sure I finished in the group and that’s all I tried to do, thankfully I made it.

“This is big for us to be able to achieve this as a team in a race that is so special for us, today was one for everyone out there who lives with diabetes and I’ll do all I can to hold on to the jersey for as long as possible.”

Photos: Mario Stiehl