Team Novo Nordisk to Race 4th Consecutive PostNord Danmark Rundt
20 July 2016
Race: PostNord Danmark Rundt – Tour of Denmark (July 27-31, 2016)
Country: Denmark
Total Distance: 750 kilometers
Race Class: 2.HC
Team Novo Nordisk is seeking breakaways and podiums when it heads back to the PostNord Danmark Rundt for the fourth consecutive year. The five-day Danish race begins on July 27th in Herning, Denmark.
“Denmark is home to our title sponsor, Novo Nordisk, so we definitely want to perform well,” Team Novo Nordisk Senior Vice President of Athletics Vassili Davidenko said. “The race is always interesting because of the young talents racing there, including our own young riders. We are targeting podiums and plan to race aggressively in breakaways.”
Sixteen teams will contest the UCI 2.HC race, including three World Tour teams. In 2014, Team Novo Nordisk’s Chris Williams earned the Most Aggressive Rider on Stage 4 following a bold late race move that saw the Australian nearly hold on for a solo win. The world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team aims to be on the podium at this year’s race. The team’s roster features James Glasspool (AUS), Joonas Henttala (FIN), Nicolas Lefrançois (FRA), David Lozano (ESP), Andrea Peron (ITA), Charles Planet (FRA), Martijn Verschoor (NED) and Chris Williams (AUS). Only Lefrançois is making his PostNord Danmark Rundt debut.
“We know what to expect; we have learned a lot about the PostNord Danmark Rundt over the years,” Davidenko said. “It is a great country with lovely fans and our experience will help us with our day-by-day race strategies.”
Slated to start his fourth PostNord Danmark Rundt, Williams is known for featuring in breakaways and brings a wealth of experience to the race.
“Normally, the PostNord Danmark Rundt is our first race back after a relatively long mid-season break, so historically it has been challenging to get back into hard racing. This year, we had a much shorter break and many of us will be coming in from the Tour de Pologne,” Williams said. “Hopefully this will give us a lot more speed in our legs. I always look to race boldly, so my goals will be to race aggressively again there this year. The PostNord Danmark Rundt is a big race and we always want to show the Team Novo Nordisk jersey at the front of the peloton.”
The PostNord Danmark Rundt kicks off on Wednesday, July 27th with a relatively flat 200-kilometer stage beginning in Herning and heading south before finishing in the seaport town of Esbjerg on the Jutland Peninsula. Stage 2 begins in Romo and the peloton will have to fight strong winds before a technical finish in Sonderborg. Stage 3 is the race’s Queen stage and ends with a three-lap finishing circuit featuring a climb of 21 percent. Stage 4 is a 20-km time trial that starts and finishes in Nyborg. The five-day race ends with a 175-km stage beginning in Karrebaeksminde and runs past castles in Gisselfeld, Bregentved and Vallo before ten finishing laps in Frederiksberg.
Team Novo Nordisk Roster PostNord Danmark Rundt -Tour of Denmark (July 27-31)
James Glasspool (AUS), Joonas Henttala (FIN), Kevin de Mesmaeker (BEL), David Lozano (ESP), Andrea Peron (ITA), Charles Planet (FRA), Martijn Verschoor (NED), Chris Williams (AUS)