CPH Post - Tour de France 2022

TOUR DE FRANCE 2022

CPH JAZZ FESTIVAL

INTRODUCTION

C’EST MAGNIFIQUE! DENMARK READY FOR LE TOUR

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THE COMING WEEK PROMISES TO BE EPIC AS THE TOUGHEST RACE ON THE PLANET PEDALS TO THE WORLD CAPITAL OF CYCLING

CHRISTIAN WENANDE

When looking through the history of the Tour de France, the race has provided many exciting moments over the years.

Giants of cycling collide But this year’s edition, the 109th in history, will offer a flavour different to all its predecessors.

From July 1-3, it will be in Denmark for the first time ever!

Not only that, but the stars of cycling will align as the toughest cycling race on the planet kicks off weeks of gruelling competition in Copenhagen, the best city in the world to ride a bicycle (see pages 8-9).

With its three stages, Denmark becomes the tenth overseas host in the history of the race to stage the opening – a development that took years to achieve, which was nearly derailed by a pandemic (see pages 6-7).

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A fairytale in Copenhagen The Grand Depart – the first stage – will be a pivotal 13 km time trial in Copenhagen as the riders face a fierce battle to win the very first yellow jersey of the race and put precious seconds between themselves and their competitors.

where brutal cross winds threaten to blow the 176-man field to smithereens.

The opening stage will see the riders blast through famous streets and sights of the capital – Holmens Kanal, Bredgade, Amalienborg Palace, Langelinie, Churchill Park, Østerbrogade and Trianglen, to mention a few on the map (see pages 10-11).

Primoz Roglic, Geraint Thomas, Egan Bernal, Adam Yates and, of course, Tadej Pogacar – winner of the two last editions – will be on display.

Indeed, there will be a fairytale element about it when the riders zip past the Little Mermaid and finish off with everything they have left in the tank on HC Andersens Boulevard.

And there will be no time for the riders to rest on their laurels as the next stage presents the daunting challenge of the Great Belt Bridge,

Best riders in the world There will never be a better chance to see the best cyclists battle for glory on the roads of Denmark.

But Denmark has a shot of glory too, with young gun Jonas Vingegaard a third favourite to win this year following his impressive second-place finish in 2021.

Rolf Sørensen, Michael Rasmussen, Bo Hamburger, Jesper Skibby and 1996 winner Bjarne Riis, the cycling-crazy public will undoubtedly be out in force throughout the country to embrace the epic race.

On top of that, thousands of fans will descend upon Denmark from all over Europe and beyond to take part in the festivities.

Meanwhile, others are already here and are oiled-up and ready for the fun to begin (pages 14-17).

In fact, never before will so many Danes line up to take part in a Tour de France.

Even if you’re not into cycling, get yourself out there and find your way to one of the many events taking place … or find a vantage point to take in a “once in a lifetime experience”, as the legendary Michael Rasmussen describes it in an interview with CPH POST (pages 18-19).

Red and white ... and yellow And with the country fostering legends like

So see you out there. And remember to wear yellow ... or polka dots!

OPINION

WHY CYCLING IN DENMARK IS A JOY … AND A MYSTERY

VISIT DENMARK/NICLAS JESSEN

CONRAD MOLDEN

In July 2022 they’re bringing the Tour de France to Denmark. In many ways, given the way I cycle, I feel like I have already been living that race since I bought my first bicycle here.

I tend to cycle with the speed and agility of a Japanese hornet, whipping from the cykelsti to the pavement, down a gågade and across a patch of muddy grass with terrifying speed. I would win that race by cutting a few corners.

Lethal London vs Docile Denmark My passion for biking truly erupted when I arrived in Denmark. Back in my hometown of London, biking is reserved only for those with a death wish. Your ‘bicycle lane’ is a skinny white line painted on a congested, narrow road. You are surrounded by traffic, ignored by motorists and hated by pedestrians.

In Denmark we are overwhelmed with cycling infrastructure: big fat paved lanes, our own little lights and a society that actually admires this activity. Instead of spitting at cyclists we actually celebrate them – it is gorgeous! And it is so popular there’s genuine cycling traffic.

True crowds of bikes wheel-to-wheel at red lights in the early morning.

There is such joy to be found in cycling here.

Unlike public transport, biking has an incredible feature: you’re only as late as you want to be. Using your legs, gears and sheer determination, one is somehow able to get to where you need to be in record-breaking time. It may mean speeding through some yellow lights or briefly using a slightly illegal route, but you can make it.

Work via the Champs-Élysées There is also mystery, as there are some features, truly unique to the Danes, which foreigners will never understand. They’re so well-guarded, these secrets, that one feels it would be impertinent to even ask.

Such as the businessmen headed to work who already look like they’re in the Tour de France. Where are your clothes? Do you arrive at work in a lycra body suit and just slide into business-wear at the door?

And where is the sweat? I cannot understand how these people look and smell completely fine when they appear to have come to work via the Champs-Élysées. Working at the university, I would cycle 1 km downhill and stink like a Jylland pig farm. Do Danes have armpits?

David Blaine on a bike Last question: how do Danes manage to seamlessly slide off their bicycles? After all, I stop awkwardly and dismount like a sack of sand falling from a forklift truck.

But, I can never be one of those mysterious people. They don’t sweat and they don’t respect physics.

In contrast, locals have the incredible power to shift their entire body from sitting to standing beside the bicycle, somehow still moving whilst gently decelerating. They’re gliding perfectly on one leg, having pushed their solid legs through the solid frame of a metal bicycle. And then, they stop, without so much of a squeak of their breaks, perfectly and neatly.

What is worse: no-one seems amazed by this.

You constantly see Danes ending their bicycle journeys by breaking the fundamental laws of physics and other Danes just continue to act normal. Can we please acknowledge that shape-shifting lizards have infiltrated our society?

Lots to like, little to learn It is a joy to bike but I often feel guilty when I bend the cycling rules. I see so many of my lycra comrades, waiting at red lights without a car in sight, slowing for the yellow or enhancing their bicycles with proper working lights.

Conrad is a 30+ stand-up comedian and father of two. He has had two one-man-shows that have toured around Denmark, ‘Danglish’ and ‘Danglish 2’, which are both streaming on TV2 Play or his website. His new 2022 show ‘Hyggelicious’ is coming in September. His comedy is aimed at anyone seeking comfort, support or relief in this strange land.

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NEWS

THE SPOKE IN DANISH CYCLING’S WHEEL The government has set aside billions for new cycle paths, but people in Denmark are riding their bikes less JARED PAOLINO

With the Tour de France on Danes’ doorsteps – and 3 billion kroner set aside for nationwide cycling projects over the next 13 years – the Danish government has dubbed 2022 the ‘Year of the Bike’.

According to Vejdirektoratet, the road directorate, however, investment in cycling infrastructure over the past two decades has failed to increase the popularity of cycling in the country. In fact, compared to 20 years ago, cycling has declined significantly.

Vejdirektoratet’s figures show that a stretch of road averaging 100 cyclists in 2000 would now average only 94 cyclists.

In decline in the sticks Marianne Foldberg Steffensen, a department head at Vejdirektoratet, has said the decline in cycling is partly a result of the country’s economic success.

In Copenhagen, citizens cycle an average of three kilometres a day, compared to only 1 km a day in the country’s smaller municipalities, reported Steffensen.

Focus on the young The trend has been noted in both the public and private sector. Trine Bramsen, the minister of transport, is betting on the country’s youth.

Speaking to DR, she reported that the government is preparing to launch initiatives in schools and daycare institutions to encourage children to cycle.

Jens Peter Hansen, the national chair of Cyklistforbundet, the cyclists’ federation, has called for new policies to incentivise cycling.

Hansen’s recommendations include a tax deduction for cyclists who ride over 6 km in a day, as well as a program to enable employers to pay their employees for cycling to work.

Jeppe Bruus, the tax minister, has said a tax deduction for cyclists is unlikely, betting instead on the country’s efforts to improve cycling conditions.

FLICKR/FELIP1

“We have become more comfortable and many have got a car – some have even got two cars. Once you have a car, you are very likely to use it – even on very short trips,” Steffensen told DR.

In addition, Steffensen noted the convenience of cycling differs significantly between major cities and smaller municipalities. With longer distances to travel to work, school and other activities, Danes living in much of the country understandably choose not to cycle.

LEIF JØRGENSEN

Race day difficulties

Return of a legend

Cyclists are advised to avoid the route of the opening stage in central Copenhagen on the day of the race, July 1. Until then, they should be able to use the roads, cycling outside the barriers. Motorists are advised to make June 28 the last time they visit the city centre until mid-afternoon on July 2.

The legendary film-maker Jørgen Leth will again provide commentary for this year’s race thanks to a deal with Warner Bros Discovery, which can be viewed on Discovery + and Eurosport. The 85-year-old became the voice of Danish cycling in the 1980s, but stopped in 2018. His return is expected to see an exodus away from his previous employer, pay TV channel TV2.

Best info source

Hospital headache

Safely locked up

All roads bar one will be closed to Rigshospitalet on July 1, posing a huge challenge to healthcare services in the capital – particularly the treatment of expectant mothers and trauma patients. Nine ‘emergency locks’ have been installed on the route of the first stage to enable vehicles to get past with the help of the police. Additionally, there will also be 24 ‘pedestrian passages’ along the route.

On March 28, Copenhagen Court found two 23-year-old men guilty of planning a terror attack on the Grand Départ in Denmark. A female accomplice was acquitted of the charge of attempted terrorism, but found guilty of other lesser charges. The men were in possession of everything that is needed to make TATP – the same explosive used in the 7-7 attacks in London in 2005.

Sport in decline

Total budget to host

Danish cycling clubs are struggling to attract new members amid fears youngsters are shunning the sport in favour of other activities, such as gaming. At Lolland-Falster Cykle Klub, the number of under-18 members has halved in the last four years. Corona and parental concern are blamed for the dip.

The budget to host the Grand Départ is 93.7 million kroner. Last year, when the budget was 88 million, it was confirmed the state would cough up 17 million (not including policing costs), the regions 15 million, Copenhagen Municipality 50 million and the other hosting municipalities 5 million.

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The best site to consult concerning all traffic-related queries during the Tour de France’s stay in Denmark is letourcph.dk. It offers advice to spectators of the race regarding the best route to take to arrive at their preferred vantage point. An overview of all planned roadblocks, made in collaboration with trafikinfo.dk, is also provided.

Could be costly Motorists are warned to make sure they move their car before June 27 ahead of preparations starting to host the Tour de France, as 2,500 parking spaces will be swallowed up. Parking is prohibited on the route of the prologue from June 30 to July 2. Car owners will be heavily fined should their vehicle need to be removed.

Cost of extra policing Extra Danish policing during the Grand Départ will cost the national purse an extra 23.4 million kroner. The amount has not been factored into the overall budget, which currently stands at 93.7 million kroner.

The ‘Official Fans’ Five Danish companies – Dansk Metal, Oddset, Bygma, dao and Carlsberg – have been designated ‘Official Fans’ thanks to a deal with Tour de France organiser ASO. They have had the right to use the Tour de France logo in their own marketing, along with official photos.

Trophy’s super trip Exactly 100 days before the start of the Tour de France, its general director, Christian Prudhomme, visited Denmark to inaugurate a new 31 km cycling super-highway. He gave the green light to a peloton to take the official Grand Départ trophy along ‘Roskilderuten’, the country’s 11th such highway out of 60 proposed, from Roskilde to Copenhagen City Hall, where it has sat on public view since late March.

Frederick’s big honour Crown Prince Frederik will present the yellow jersey to the winner of the first stage of the Tour de France, it has been confirmed.

EVENTS

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Tivoli Team Presentation

FestiVélo

CPH Cargobike Day & Tour BALLENBAK

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June 29, 16:00-20:10; Tivoli, Vesterbrogade 3, Cph V; join waiting list for entry to Tivoli; letourcph.dk The team presentation will kick-start the Tour de France week in Denmark, giving fans the opportunity to get up close-up with the 22 teams’ riders. There will be music and entertainment at Tivoli, and at 17:45 the teams will drive a 1.5 km closed route from Lille Langebro past Rådhuspladsen onto Tivoli, where from 18:30 they will be presented one by one on a stage. The whole affair will be broadcast on big screens located around Copenhagen. Entrance into Tivoli is ticketed and currently sold out, but you can sign up to the waiting list online.

July 1 & 2, open Fri 12:00-22:00 & Sat 09:00-22:00; Fælledparken, Cph K; free adm Over the first two days of the Tour de France, FestiVélo will celebrate both the cycling elite and the country’s everyday cycling heroes. Watch the race’s start on the city’s largest big screen, see BMX athletes trick, ride and jump, and enjoy a whole host of other activities designed for both children and adults. There will also be live music, food trucks and beer from some of the best local breweries. Its site is located between Øster Allé, Fælledsøen and Café-Pavillonen.

CPH Cargo Bike Race July 2, 14:00; Edel Sauntes Allé, Fælledparken, Cph K Attend this event as a spectator or an athlete! The Copenhagen Cargo Bike Race will be part of the Tour de France celebration at FestiVélo, offering four-person relay teams the opportunity to race around the Fælledparken pond. It’s all about pedalling power, so don’t try and sneak your electric cargo bike onto the starting line! Entry into the race is 300 kroner and should be completed online in advance of the race. Participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt, but otherwise just sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

June 30, 10:00 -22:00; Israels Plads, Cph K; tickets: free adm; letourcph.dk The Copenhagen Bike Festival, which will take place in early September, is putting on this warm-up event to celebrate the Tour de France’s arrival in Denmark, as well as shed light on the role of cargo bikes in the capital’s cycling culture and green energy transition. See and try a wide range of cargo bikes, learn how cargo bikes can make your daily life easier, and follow a cargo bike-led tour of the city. Later, enjoy food and drinks, as well as music from Det Nye Jazzorkester. Participation is free, but organisers ask that participants register online in advance.

Friday Vibes July 1, 16:00-21:00; Flindt & Ørsted, Nørre Farimagsgade 6, Cph K Enjoy soul, funk, boogie and exotic music on Friday night at Flindt & Ørsted. In this special edition of the weekly event, dance, sip a drink and enjoy the fresh vinyl sounds of DJs Boef1 & JSPR as professional cyclists zip by in the first stage of the Tour de France. The cafe has ample outside dining and is family and dog-friendly, so bring the whole crew!

COMPILED BY JARED PAOLINO

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THE SPECTACLE

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RACE #109, OVERSEAS GRAND DÉPART #24, OVERSEAS HOST #10: FINALLY, THE TOUR DE FRANCE IS COMING TO DENMARK

HOSTING TIMELINE FOR DENMARK May 2012 – Denmark hosts the opening three stages of the 2012 Giro d’Italia. The racing primarily takes place in and around the central Jutland towns of Herning and Horsens. The seed is set for future endeavours.

Nov 2015 – News first emerges of a possible Danish bid to host the start of the Tour de France – specifically the 2018 edition.

June 2016 – The Danish government and Frank Jensen, the mayor of Copenhagen, propose an official bid to host the start of the Tour de France.

The bid is confirmed by Troels Lund Povlsen, the minister of commerce, at a ceremony at the House of Denmark on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. The race’s general director Christian Prudhomme comments that the tour “has never been so far north” before.

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BENEDICTE VAGNER

Copenhagen is no stranger to streets heavily crowded with tourists and locals – especially in the summer.

And this will be no different on July 1, as eager Danes with a passion for cycling line the city’s streets to witness the first stage of the Tour de France: the time-trial prologue.

The capital city is known for being one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world, so it only makes sense for the biggest cycling competition to make its Grand Départ here.

Forming a giant loop ‘The Grande Boucle’ (the great loop) made

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its debut in 1903 as a six-stage race over a distance of 2,428km. This year it is made up of 21 stages and 3,328km of cycling.

It was created by former cyclist Henri Desgrange as a publicity event for L’Auto, the sports newspaper of which he was editor. The race made the newspaper’s front page that year with the headline “The Tour de France: the greatest cycling race in the world”.

It was a claim that has gone on to stand the test of time well.

Bumps in the road However, the race could have ended before it had barely begun. After just two years, the organisers considered shutting it down due

to high amounts of cheating and sabotage among the competitors, which even included some of them catching a train to complete the stages at a faster rate.

And then in 1914, the race started on June 28, the same day that Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, triggering the start of World War I. The race was duly suspended until 1919.

Similarly, 1939 proved to be the last race until the end of World War II. After Germany occupied France, they pushed for the Tour de France to be held to create the sense there was still

Aug 2018 – French President Emmanuel Macron visits Denmark along with Prudhomme. Together they hand Danish PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen a maillot jaune, the famous yellow jersey awarded to the rider who finishes the race in the least amount of time.

Feb 2019 – The news is confirmed that the 2021 Grande Départ will be held in Denmark, with the opening stage taking place in Copenhagen.

March 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic hits Denmark. Quickly questions are raised regarding the feasibility of holding Euro 2020, which includes four games at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.

Aug 2020 – The organisers of the Grand Départ in Denmark conceded it won’t be possible to host it in the same year as the Euro 2020 games, so officially postpone until 2022. Brittany steps in to host the 2021 Grand Départ instead

Publisher: CPH POST • Editor: Hans Hermansen • Info: hans@cphpost.dk • Tel: +45 2420 2411

THE SPECTACLE

TOUR DE FRANCE

a form of normality in the country. However, these requests were denied by L’Auto.

Tenth to join party As the Tour de France has evolved over the years, so has the start, which until 1950 was held in the Île-de-France capital region every year bar one.

decided to host what became known as the Grand Départ in other regions of France and then, starting in 1954, other countries, starting with Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Since then, eight other countries have hosted the Grand Départ – Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, the UK, Ireland and Monaco – so Denmark will become the tenth.

In order to expand its appeal, the organisers

Two of the ten, Belgium, and Switzerland, will also host stages this year, making 2022 the first time the race has been held in four countries.

Long wait nearly over Denmark was initially supposed to host the Grand Départ in 2021. However, after the postponement of Euro 2020, it was thought best to move it to Brittany last year. With its move to Denmark, this will be the furthest north the tour has ever travelled.

Several Danish companies, including tourist organisations VisitDenmark and Wonderful Copenhagen, have accordingly partnered up with the Tour de France to help bring the Grand Départ here.

Moreover, the race, which will be watched by an audience of 150 million viewers in Europe alone, will put Denmark’s main attractions on display for everyone to see, drawing interest to the country and potentially adding Denmark to tourism bucket-lists around the world.

Could blow a bit The first three stages of the 2022 Tour de France will take place in Denmark, starting with a 13.2 km individual time trial in Copenhagen. The bendy route could prove challenging to the cyclists – particularly if the weather gods conjure up one of their famously windy days.

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The second leg between Roskilde to Nyborg will cover a distance of 202.2 km. As the riders will finish in Funen, they will have to cross the Great Belt Bridge, which is 18 km long and again potentially very windy!

The third and final stage, a 182 km route from Vejle to Sønderborg, will most likely be the easiest of the three as far as the wind is concerned: a good day for the teams chasing glory for their sprinters.

A rest day will duly follow as the competitors make their way to France. Catching the train will be within the rules on this occasion.

OVERSEAS GRAND DEPARTS SINCE 1954 1954 Netherlands 1958 Belgium 1965 West Germany 1973 Netherlands 1975 Belgium 1978 Netherlands 1980 West Germany 1982 Switzerland 1987 West Germany 1989 Luxembourg 1992 Spain 1996 Netherlands 1998 Ireland 2002 Luxembourg 2004 Belgium 2007 United Kingdom 2009 Monaco 2010 Netherlands 2012 Belgium 2014 United Kingdom 2015 Netherlands 2017 Germany 2019 Belgium 2022 Denmark 2023 Spain

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CAPITAL OF CYCLING

IN THE HOME OF CYCLING

VI9SIT DENMARK/KIM WYON

WITH THE TOUR DE FRANCE MAKING ITS WAY TO DENMARK, THE COUNTRY IS ONCE AGAIN BEING LAUDED FOR ITS FIRST-RATE CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE. THE PRAISE IS WELL-DESERVED, BUT WITH CYCLING IN DECLINE ACROSS THE COUNTRY – AND THE GOVERNMENT POURING MILLIONS INTO NEW CYCLING VENTURES – THE DECADES-LONG DANISH CYCLING PROJECT IS FAR FROM OVER JARED PAOLINO

In 1973, a Saudi-led oil embargo against the United States triggered a global energy crisis.

The price of oil quadrupled, leading to fuel shortages and exposing the West’s reliance on foreign oil and fossil fuels.

In Denmark – a country that had to that point been eagerly embracing the automobile – crisis became opportunity. Alerted to the dangers of energy dependency, and stirred by a blossoming environmental movement, politicians, policymakers and city planners ambitiously sought out ways to reduce the use of imported oil.

First, they stepped up investment in renew-

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able energy technologies such as wind and biomass, which now make up 67 percent of the country’s electricity supply.

track to meet its 2050 net-zero emissions target.

Nowhere has the bicycle played a bigger role in that transition than in Copenhagen, the Danish capital and cycling mecca that has its sights Second, they bet on the strength of Danes’ set on achieving net-zero emissions by 2025. quads, hams and glutes, abandoning plans for major road projects, pedestrianising more According to the Centre for Regional Developstreets and planting the seeds of the country’s ment, cycling in the Capital Region of Denmark now extensive network of bike lanes. reduces carbon emissions by 110,000 tonnes per year. In Copenhagen, bikes outnumber cars In this way, an arcane, two-wheeled and by more than five-to-one and, every weekday, human-powered contraption known as the cyclists in the city cover a distance of about bicycle came to emblemise Denmark’s green 1.4 million km – the equivalent of completing energy transition. the Tour de France 400 times.

Bike City label, and since 2015 it has held the title of the world’s most cycling-friendly city, according to the Copenhagenize Index – “the most comprehensive and holistic ranking of bicycle-friendly cities on planet Earth”.

Greatest race and city Owing to its investments in renewable energy and cycling infrastructure, Denmark is now on

And, in the most recent testament to the Danes’ leadership in everyday cycling, the world’s most famous cycling race will visit

The city has been well-recognised for its success. In 2008, Copenhagen became the first city to receive the International Cycling Union’s

Copenhagen is also acknowledged as one of three “pioneering, successful, and world-class cycling cities” by the Handshake project – a Horizon 2020-funded project under the EU’s CIVITAS Initiative. Alongside Amsterdam and Munich, Copenhagen is serving as a mentor city for European municipalities looking to make the transition to two wheels.

CAPITAL OF CYCLING

VISITDENMARK/KIM WYON

the country for three days in July, traveling further north than it ever has before.

Christian Prudhomme, the general director of the tour, did not need much more persuasion once he had heard the tagline “the world’s greatest cycling race meets the world’s greatest cycling city”.

Enviable infrastructure But what is it that makes Copenhagen the ‘world’s greatest cycling city’? How is it that 97 percent of Copenhageners are satisfied with the cycling conditions in the city?

It’s all about infrastructure.

From the iconic Cykelslangen, the car-free overpass snaking alongside the Fisketorvet shopping centre and over the harbour, to Den Grønne Sti, the greenway path winding through an old rail corridor, Copenhageners have ample options when it comes to navigating the city by bicycle.

Since 2005, Copenhagen has spent approximately 1 billion kroner on cycling infrastructure, and 13 bridges have been built to allow travel over the harbour and small waterways that divide the city. In all, investment has raised the total length of bike lanes in the city to a whopping 385 km, successfully encouraging many to make the switch from four wheels to two.

The Tour de France, which will kick off with a 13.2 km time trial through Copenhagen, will showcase some of the city’s world-class cycling infrastructure.

“This is a unique window to show the whole world how beautiful Denmark is, how we are using the bike every day, how our infrastructure for the bike lanes is, and how you

can come around in Denmark by bike in the cities without being afraid,” Alex Pederson, the spokesperson for the Grand Départ in Denmark, told CPH POST. The time trial will begin on Nørre Farimagsgade, from where the riders will make their first turn towards Copenhagen’s Dronning Louise’s Bridge – one of the most heavily trafficked cycling stretches in Denmark and the endpoint of the C95 cycling superhighway.

Shortly after, riders will loop back around at Fredensbro, the bridge where the C93 superhighway enters the city centre, and continue through the Trianglen junction, alongside Fælledparken, and past Parken Stadium.

They will then follow the twists and turns of the inner city, passing landmarks such as Amalienborg Palace, Marmorkirken, Kongens Nytorv, and the picturesque Nyhavn waterfront, before sprinting toward the finish line on HC Andersen’s Boulevard.

The following two days of the tour will see the riders pass from Roskilde to Nyborg, and then from Vejle through southern Jutland to Sønderborg just above the German border.

When they leave the country on July 3, two new cycle routes will be inaugurated, immortalising their path through the Danish countryside. The routes will be numbered 27 and 37, corresponding to the dates on which the Tour de France field will run them: 2/7 and 3/7.

The work is not yet done As well as a celebration, the Tour de France in Denmark has also been a call to action. The Danish Ministry of Transport has declared 2022 Denmark’s ‘year of the bike’ and, as part of the country’s 2035 infrastructure plan, the Danish

Parliament has agreed to spend 3 billion kroner on cycling over the next several years.

The 160 billion kroner infrastructure package also includes 64 billion kroner for roads and 86 billion kroner for public transport. As of May, 200 million kroner had been set aside for 39 bicycle projects across the country in 2022.

These numbers do not account for municipally-funded transport projects.

Besides infrastructure, Hansen argues that policies must be implemented to make cycling the safer, more convenient and more rewarding transport option. On this basis, he supports the recent push to lower speed limits in the capital. He also supports the implementation of a Belgian policy by which employees of participating organisations receive a financial incentive to bike to work.

For those living outside major cities, he recogAccording to Jens Peter Hansen, the national nises the challenge of making cycling the more chair for Cyklistforbundet, the Danish cyclists’ attractive alternative – a concern shared by federation, continued investment in cycling infra- Trine Bramsen, the Danish transport minister. structure is crucial – particularly at a national level.

Both say that finding better ways to combine Cycling culture in Denmark is by no means cycling and public transport is vital for this confined to Copenhagen – nine out of 10 Danes purpose, and they similarly agree that the rise own a bicycle and 12,000 km of cycle paths of electric bikes could be a gamechanger for exist throughout the country – but the capital making longer distances feasible without a car. city is something of an outlier, says Hansen.

“Swiss army knife of society” According to city figures, 62 percent of Co- As reported by the Danish Finance Ministry, penhagen’s residents are now commuting by Copenhagen experiences an economic gain bike. In Aarhus – the country’s second biggest of 4.80 kroner every time someone rides 1 city – only around 25 percent of residents get km on their bike. to work on two wheels.

As Bramsen puts it: “Society saves a lot of monMore troubling, contends Hansen, is that cycling ey every time a bicycle is used instead of a car.” in Denmark has been in decline since 2014 and For Hansen, it’s about the way these savings has in fact begun to drop in Copenhagen as come to be: by addressing societal challenges well. To combat the decline in cycling, “you related to health, congestion, safety and the have to make better infrastructure for cycling, environment. and you have to stop trying to make better infrastructure for cars,” he told CPH POST. “Cycling is the Swiss army knife of society. No matter what kind of problem society faces, cyHe adds, however, that better infrastructure cling can help solve the problem,” says Hansen. does not just mean more bike lanes: “It’s more important to talk about space and not just lanes.” It takes money to save money, and to reap the benefits of cycling, Denmark must keep In Copenhagen, he contends, half of all the space investing in it. It’s not a matter of whether between houses is dedicated to cars, while cycling we can afford to, it’s whether we can afford infrastructure takes up only around 10 percent. not to.”

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MAP

MAP OF PROLOGUE - TIME

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MAP

E TRIAL IN COPENHAGEN

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CAPITAL OF CYCLING FLICKR/ HANS SPLINTER

SLIP ON THE SPANDEX AND SADDLE UP! WHETHER IT’S CHEERING FOR DENMARK’S BEST CYCLISTS ON HOME TURF OR APPRECIATING SOME FRENCH CULTURE, THE CITY’S FESTIVITIES HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE – NOT THE LEAST THE CHANCE TO CYCLE THE OPENING DAY TIME TRIAL ROUTE ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING

AMY THORPE

Copenhagen is soon to host FestiVélo, a cycling-themed festival accompanying the official start of this year’s Tour de France in the Danish capital. On July 1 and 2, the public will be able to participate in an array of activities, including a bike ride following an almost identical route to that of the opening day time trial.

The festival will be free to access. Organisers hope it will be an opportunity for people in one of the world’s largest cycling hubs to pay homage to a central part of their city’s identity.

“With the start of the Tour de France in Co-

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penhagen, we want to create one big yellow folk festival that celebrates both professional cycling and everyday cycling,” explains the mayor of Copenhagen, Sophie Hæstorp Andersen.

Time trial: for the pros The official opening of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France on July 1, at the centre of the FestiVélo celebrations, will give spectators the chance to see the world’s top cyclists racing an individual time trial through the streets of Copenhagen.

The result of the 13.2 km time trial prologue will determine who will be awarded the first yellow jersey of the Tour de France. Spectators can cheer on their favourite riders as they take

off from the corner of Nørre Farimagsgade and HC Andersens Boulevard, bang next door to the famous Ørstedsparken, at 16:00.

From Ørstedsparken, the cyclists will cross Dronning Louises Bro, a bridge containing the world’s busiest cycling lane, before riding north past the Maersk Tower. Once they reach Trafiklegepladsen, their route changes course, taking them southwest past Amalienborg Palace, Marmorkirken and other historical landmarks. Finally, the riders will cross the finish line at Rådhuspladsen, the square outside City Hall, with the last one expected shortly before 20:00.

Because the competitors undertake the time trial one at a time, spectators can expect a

quick and exciting series of rides. The first twothirds of the route is made up of broad roads and very few sharp turns, allowing the cyclists to gain maximum speed before reaching a series of narrow, twisting and technically challenging streets nearer the end of the race.

The riders’ final obstacle will be a sprint to the finish line, making for an explosive finale to each time trial.

Audiences can watch from alongside the roads or from Fælledparken, where Copenhagen’s largest screen will be televising the entirety of the Grand Départ.

City tour: for the public On July 2, the public will be able to ride almost the same route as the Tour de France racers in

CAPITAL OF CYCLING

VISIT DENMARK/ VIGGO LUNDBERG

what is being called the ‘Tour de København’.

The big difference is that it will take off from Fælledparken, not Ørstedsparken.

At least 10,000 everyday cyclists are expected to participate, taking off from a starting point

by Edel Sauntes Allé in Fælledparken following an opening speech at 09:00.

“The Tour de København is a great opportunity for us all to ride the same route that the world’s fastest cyclists have raced through the day before,” enthused Mayor Andersen. “We’ll be able to follow in the tracks of favourites like Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar. I hope that as many Copenhageners as possible will participate.”

Unlike the official Grand Départ, the Tour de Københaven is not a competitive race. Cyclists are free to ride at their leisure until the route closes at 12:00. In this spirit, there are 12 hopon and hop-off points where riders can join or leave the route whenever they choose.

There will also be a number of ‘races in the race’ to pay tribute to the various communities within Copenhagen’s cycling scene. To show that there is no age limit to cycling, the Senior Stage will take off at 10:00, and the Diversity Stage, celebrating cyclists of all abilities, will follow closely after at 11:00.

By including these stages, the Tour de København aims to honour every manner of cyclist riding through the streets of Copenhagen from day to day. Together, they uphold the city’s famously environmental way of living. “[The Tour de København] is an opportunity to pay tribute to everyday cycling heroes: all the many thousands of Copenhageners who every day contribute to creating a greener, cleaner and nicer city when they ride on two wheels instead of four,” said Copenhagen’s mayor for technology and the environment, Line Barfod.

Upon completion, each rider will be presented with a special ‘Tour de Københaven’ t-shirt – or at least the first 10,000 to complete the route.

Markets, music and more FestiVélo is more than just the tour — activities for all age groups will be based at Fælledparken.

In addition to TV2’s coverage of the time trial, the big screen will play three cycling-themed documentaries. ‘Moon Rider’, ‘Ride for your L1fe’ and ‘A Sunday in Hell’, which were all recently screened at CPH:DOX, chronicle the gruelling yet rewarding experience of bike racing from the perspective of various riders.

There will also be lots to see on FestiVélo’s stage, including the opening of this year’s

Copenhagen Jazz Festival, French ballet performed by the Kongelige Teater, and talks on cycling from participants in CPH:DOX, among others. A French take on the traditional Danish beer garden will provide attendees with a variety of ales to sample and, for anyone in search of an accompanying bite to eat, the food market will offer organic options for snacks, meals and desserts.

Children attending FestiVélo can enjoy themselves in Fælledparken’s play zone. Thanks to street sports organisation GAME and the Copenhagen Bike Festival, several trial and BMX shows will be performed over the course of the festival, and panna, parkour and dance workshops will be open for children to take part in. Adults, too, can burn off energy by participating in their own cycling-themed activities, such as virtual cycling challenges on a fleet of stationary bikes.

A concert will cap off the FestiVélo celebrations on the evening of July 2, featuring artists Aksglæde, Mina Okabe, Thomas Buttenschøn and more. After two full days of cycling fever, this event promises a chance for festival-goers to relax and enjoy some good music.

With the Tour de France set to continue on to Roskilde on July 2, the city of Copenhagen hopes the festivities planned around the Grand Départ will make for a memorable celebration of France and Denmark’s common

love of cycling and an enjoyable start to the Tour de France.

A WORD OF CAUTION The organisers say it is open to everyone, but there’s a good chance the queue will be very long. To make sure you can cycle the route and grab one of the t-shirts, you’re best advised to turn up early.

However, be aware that the ‘elite cyclists’ (pre-registered through their clubs) are setting off at 08:00 and that there might be two queues. Avoid the one crawling with spandex!

Once you’re riding, be cautious of who might be in close proximity. Don’t make any sudden lane movements and always indicate (after checking over your shoulder) when you’re turning left or right, and raise your arm when you’re slowing down.

The speed limit on the route is 25 km/h, so don’t turn up with plans to beat the winner’s time from the day before.

Overall, it’s best advised to give it a miss if you’re not a confident cyclist. And electric bikes … surely you’re missing the point of the experience by turning up on one of them!

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THE FRENCH IN DENMARK

THERE’S NO RACE LIKE HOME! THE TOUR DE FRANCE IS A GLOBALLY CELEBRATED SPORTING AND FRENCH CULTURAL EVENT. HERE’S WHAT THE FRENCH IN DENMARK HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE RACE COMING TO THEIR HOST COUNTRY

FACEBOOK/TOUR DE FRANCE

JARED PAOLINO

It’s one of the most iconic sporting events in the world. When it comes to cycling, nothing else comes close. It’s the Tour de France and it’s here in Denmark.

What started as a marketing stunt for a French newspaper is now an event that some say transcends sport. It’s a celebration of history, a symbol of unity and an unassailable source of national pride. It’s a testament to the indomitability of the human spirit.

For many French living in Denmark, it’s also about the memories. Of the caravan – the

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string of decorated vehicles trailing the peloton and tossing caps and other trinkets to roadside crowds. Of the rush as a throng of cyclists race past faster than one can comprehend. Of an old French man sitting in front of his television on an early summer afternoon.

A historic first This year, when the Grand Départ takes place in Copenhagen on July 1, it will be the northernmost start for the prestigious cycling race.

It will also be the first time that the Tour de France has visited Denmark in its 118-year history.

Over its entire 23-day duration, riders will

complete 21 one-day stages covering approximately 3,500 kilometres. The race will have legs not only in Denmark, but also in Belgium, Switzerland and of course France.

In France, in Denmark, across Europe, and around the world, people will be tuning in.

In recent years, more than 60 percent of people in France have watched at least some of the Tour de France on television, as well as around half of all people in Denmark and – according to the race’s organisers – billions more around the globe.

The French in Denmark There are 6,900 French people living in Den-

mark, according to Danmarks Statistik. Most live in the major cities, and over half are between 20 and 39 years old. For at least some of these French living here in Denmark, the Tour’s arrival in the country they now call home is reason to celebrate.

CPH POST spoke to six French expats now living in the country’s capital: Vincent Bourquin, Alexandre Garioud, Sébastien Conan, Magali Michaut, Louis-Marie Richard, and Thomas Guillo.

Coming from all over France, their relationships with their country’s iconic cycling race are different, but they all have something to say.

THE FRENCH IN DENMARK

VINCENT BOURQUIN Age: 27 Hometown: Besançon Profession: Content manager Length of time in Denmark: 1 year All-time fav cyclist: Bernard Hinault Vincent Bourquin hails from Besançon, a city in France’s historic eastern region of Burgundy, where “we have good cheese, good ski mountains, and good cyclists.” Since spending a few stressful years in the French startup scene, he has lived in Helsinki, Stockholm and, for the past year, Copenhagen, where he works as a content manager for the popular bike sharing service Donkey Republic. He is also the man behind L’instant nordique, a French-language blog dedicated to travel and culture in Scandinavia. The Tour de France coming to Denmark represents a culmination of Bourquin’s French heritage, love of Denmark and passion for sport.

What’s your history with the Tour?

I have really good memories of going with my family, waiting on the roads for a couple of hours with friends, drinking, eating, playing football, hanging decorations, painting the road and waiting for the caravan to come.

summer season. As long as I haven’t received my shot of the Tour de France, I don’t feel the summer has started yet.

Why is the Tour worth watching even for those who aren’t fans of cycling?

It’s not only about the sport, but usually in the French TV programs, they also highlight the villages, and they talk about the culture. So, you really get to know your own country by just looking at this event. It’s a really nice way to feel and understand how diverse France is, because you’re jumping from region to region, and you say: “Oh yeah, I’ve never been to this place. I’m going to write it down and put it on my bucket list for next year.” It’s super inspiring.

What does it mean to have the Tour come to you here in Denmark?

Exciting is too small a word, compared to how I feel inside. I’ve been counting the days for six months. I know that sometimes having expectations that high can lead to disappointment, but I know that I won’t be disappointed by the Tour de France.

What does the Tour mean to you?

It’s a really social event. You show up there to see the cyclists, but you also go there to feel the atmosphere. There’s Dutch people, German people, people from all over the world, in the middle of nowhere in France. It’s so great. So, I have fantastic memories and, for me, I would say that the Tour de France really begins the

What do you think the Tour coming here means to the Danish people?

When you look at how the Danish people are talking about the Tour de France, and how they support their teams – it could be football, it could be handball, it could be other things – they’re really passionate people, in a good way! So, I know they will welcome so greatly the Tour de France Grand Depart in Copenhagen, but also all the way during the three days here in Denmark. I’m 100 percent that the roads will be packed!

ALEXANDRE GARIOUD Age: 32 Hometown: Valencin Profession: Doctor Length of time in Denmark: 12 years All-time fav cyclist: Bernard Hinault

How will you follow the Tour this year?

We’re going to be on the road for three days, starting in Copenhagen, then going to Roskilde and Nyborg, and finally to Jutland. This may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to experience the tour in Denmark!

One of Alexandre Garioud’s earliest memories of the Tour de France is the victory of legendary Danish cyclist Bjarne Riis in 1996.

And in fact, his ties to both Denmark and the Tour have always been strong. With a Danish mother and a French father, he grew up in Valencin, a small commune in southeastern France. He spent many of his summers visiting Denmark and watching the Tour on television or making his way to the Alps to see the race in person. Now, after living in Denmark for 12 years, he is married, working as a search and rescue/intensive care physician, and raising his 6-month-old daughter.

What will it mean to you to have your daughter with you for the Tour this year?

I want to stand alongside the road where they are going to ride by, hold my daughter and try to transmit that passion. And trust me, it won’t be the last time that she’ll see the tour. We’ll go to see it again because these guys are amazing! The amount of dedication and willpower and abnegation of pain you need – I think that is something everybody can learn during life. And these are values I want to transmit to her: the pure joy of the tour. When they ride by up a hill: that thrill you get; that adrenaline kick – I would love to share that with her.

What’s your history with the Tour?

I’ve always been a big fan and I became an even bigger fan in my teenage years and in my early 20s. Every summer, I went to see the tour in the Alps, and every year it became bigger. We ended up partying for two days even before the Tour arrived!

What does it mean to have the Tour come to you here in Denmark?

The tour coming to Denmark is amazing for me. Ever since I finished my studies, I have been unable to be in France for the summer for professional reasons, so having the tour coming to me is going to be great! And also, it’s a great gift for the Danes!

How will following the Tour be different with a baby?

We’ll just take it as it comes, but of course it will be different. Beforehand I just needed a sleeping bag and a pair of underwear… and beers! Now you need diapers, the bags, the changing stuff. It will be more challenging, but we want to make it work. We are just so happy. It’ll be fine. I’m not worried.

Who are you rooting for?

I really hope that at least one Dane manages to win a stage. That would be awesome for Danish people and Danish cycling fans. And there’s some good contenders!

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THE FRENCH IN DENMARK

SÉBASTIEN CONAN Age: 42 Hometown: Vannes Profession: Mechanic Length of time in Denmark: 8 years All-time fav cyclist: Bernard Hinault Of the eight years that Sébastien Conan has lived in Denmark, most were spent working in a job he had grown tired of. Last year, he made a change, leaving the IT field to begin working as a bike mechanic in Copenhagen – an ambition he had held since the mid-90s. His passion for cycling predated even that dream, instilled in him by his father, who took Conan every year to see the Tour de Bretagne – the famous cycling race in the French region where he grew up. Today, working in a job where he appreciates the simple satisfaction of putting a smile on a customer’s face, Conan is thrilled by the arrival of the Tour de France in Denmark, and he is eager to share the experience with his four-year-old son.

What does the Tour mean to you?

It’s the yellow jersey, of course. It’s my passion.

It’s my upbringing. It’s my roots. It’s really part of me. It’s about history. It’s about the challenge. It’s about some people who can push themselves to do this really crazy race. It’s just amazing.

What are your fondest memories of the Tour?

I remember the old days – the 1980s and the 90s – when what we call the caravan came about. They used to have a custom car, and they gave away a lot of stuff. And when you’re a child, you don’t really care about the cycling MAGALI MICHAUT Age: 40 Hometown: Cergy-Pontoise Profession: Scientist Length of time in Denmark: 5 years All-time fav cyclist: No idea!

Magali Michaut, the founder of the association Les Chansons Françaises au Danemark, wears many hats. Besides her signature black pork-pie, she dons the cap of singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and PhD-holding bioinformatics specialist. She grew up in the suburbs of Paris and has since lived in the UK, Canada and the Netherlands.

She does not consider herself a cycling fan, but she is passionate about bringing a bit of French culture to her new home. Magali, who recently released her first album, ‘Impressionniste’, will be playing French folk songs at Fælledgården when the tour kicks off on July 1.

What’s your history with the Tour?

I generally don’t follow the Tour de France very much. Though there are quite a lot of people in France following the cycling or the landscapes or the visiting friends aspect, my family was never really too much into it.

So, what memories of the Tour do you have?

Some years ago, I was living in Palaiseau in the south of Paris. My boyfriend at the time was very interested in the Tour de France, and the Tour was going on not very far from our place, so we biked for maybe half an hour and waited for it to pass. We saw them for

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to be honest. You just want to be there on the side of the road to get a cap, t-shirt, candy, chocolates, and all those kinds of things you brought home and were so proud of as a child.

What does it mean to have the Tour come to you here in Denmark?

I’m really happy, and I feel privileged to be in Denmark right now ... this is the one time that they are coming to Denmark, so I just want to see everything I can. It’s going to be amazing, and I really can’t wait! It’s what you love and it’s coming to you, and it’s amazing. How can you expect that? It’s just a huge opportunity.

What will it mean to you to have your son with you for the Tour this year?

Since he was a child, I’ve tried to push him on the bike … on the Friday, the first of July, when they begin the Tour in Copenhagen, my girlfriend and I will take him around to show him how fun it is. I want to share with him the atmosphere.

What does it mean to have a job related to your passion for cycling?

I’m doing something more simple, but what I learned in Denmark is that sometimes you need to be happy with what you do instead of just working for the money. I’ve been working too much for the money and not thinking about happiness. And now, I prefer happiness.

So Denmark’s provided that?

I think in Denmark the way they think is that it’s not about what job you do, it’s about who you are. As long as you’re a good person, it doesn’t really matter what you do. It’s just about who you are deep down. five minutes and then they were gone, but it was really fun!

As someone who isn’t a big fan of the Tour, is this year any different?

There’s the expat factor. In a way, when living abroad, I sometimes get a little more enthusiastic about French-related stuff. I think it is similar with the Tour de France. It is part of the French culture and, now being in Copenhagen, it’s part of both. I live in Copenhagen, it starts in Copenhagen, and it’s French-related, so it’s nice to be part of it and share in the event and the excitement.

What’s the deal with this concert you’re playing on the first day of the Tour?

I was contacted by Fælledgården. It’s a nursing home in Copenhagen. I’m going to play there on July 1 for the people at the home who cannot go to the start. I will play French songs so they can appreciate some French culture and feel part of the fun.

Is Denmark home?

It’s a very interesting question. It’s been more than 15 years that I’ve been abroad, and I really have several homes. My family sometimes notice that I say “we” when I speak with them about Denmark, so I can say “we” about Denmark or Danes or what happens in Denmark, and I can say “we” about what happens in France. So, for me, it’s really like I have several homes. It’s just different types of connection, but when I come back here to Copenhagen, I come back home.

THE FRENCH IN DENMARK

LOUIS-MARIE RICHARD Age: 25 Hometown: Rennes Profession: Dentist Length of time in Denmark: 6 months All-time fav cyclist: Lance Armstrong Louis-Marie Richard moved to Denmark for love, but he is staying for the people, work-life balance, and fulfilment of a years-long dream to live in Scandinavia. Born in Brittany, the northwestern region of France known for its cider, sailing and impressive architecture, he moved to Denmark just a few months ago and is now working as a dentist. He does not consider himself a diehard fan of cycling or the Tour – he is one of those to associate it with an old French man napping in front of the television – but he has fond memories of the famous race, and he is eagerly awaiting its arrival in Copenhagen.

What’s your history with the Tour?

I feel like I have always grown up with the Tour de France every summer. My father didn’t really watch it, but I spent most of my holidays at my grandparents’ place, and that was what my grandfather used to watch every afternoon.

Have you ever seen the Tour in person?

I went one day to the Tour de France in Brittany, so I went with my grandfather, and I remember waiting for five hours just to see ten bikes, driving so fast. It was just ten seconds, but I was happy with that.

THOMAS GUILLO Hometown: Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert Age: 22 Profession: Driver Length of time in Denmark: 8 months All-time favourite: Chris Froome In his early years, Thomas Guillo watched the Tour de France on television to escape the scorching summer heat. When he developed a passion for cycling later in life, he identified himself as a climber, finding pleasure in the burn of an unrelenting uphill ride, and in the testing of his limits. Guillo has now been living in Copenhagen for a few months, working for a cargo bike delivery service and finding satisfaction in the country’s welcoming atmosphere for cyclists. Despite coming from a town on the outskirts of Saint-Étienne, which has hosted the famous race 25 times since 1950, he will be seeing the Tour in person for only the second time in his life here in Denmark.

What’s your history with the Tour?

In the summer, when it’s very hot in France and you want to keep the heat outside of the home, I’d just watch the cyclists suffering in the heat on the TV. What did you like about the Tour before you started cycling?

I really liked back then, when I was not cycling, just watching the landscapes. The commentators on the TV showed the historic sites, the beautiful landscapes … you get to see France from another perspective.

Have you continued to watch the Tour as you’ve grown older?

When I was a teenager, I wasn’t really interested in it. I kind of stopped watching it until five years ago, when I went to Norway for an internship and the people there were so fond of the Tour de France. I was off at three every day, and I used to just watch the Tour de France and take a nap, and it reminded me of a lot of memories, so then, afterwards, I was very happy to spend the following summers at my grandparents’ place watching the Tour de France with my grandfather. It was kind of like a new beginning.

What other memories do you have related to the Tour de France?

During the summer holidays, we went to Mont Ventoux – which is one of the most famous stages of the Tour de France – and we tried to climb the hill on our bicycles, and that was a very good memory, because it was so fucking hard! And when you see the people do it, it looks quite easy.

As someone who has only recently made the move to Denmark, what does it mean to have the Tour come here now?

I’m very proud of it. I’m proud that the Tour de France will be in Copenhagen. I’m proud to be French. Sometimes, I don’t want to be French, I don’t want to feel French, but when it comes to such big events, I’m very proud to be French. I’m planning to go there with the jersey of the national team, and I will try to gather some Danish friends to go there, and I’m hopefully going to meet some other French people.

What’s it like coming to Denmark as a cyclist?

One thing I noticed immediately is that it’s so much safer than anywhere I’ve been riding before. The infrastructure is great. The people are respectful, driving well, and the cyclists are riding well as well. So, it’s very impressive when you first arrive. If I tell a French person that I’m a cyclist, they will very quickly bring up the Tour de France.

And then they will tell me how cyclists suck on the road, but at the same time how they enjoy being on the side of the road to see the Tour de France.

Have you seen the Tour in person?

I remember going to see the Tour de France a few years ago. I went to Le Puy-en-Velay, which is close to Sainte-Etienne. We went and watched them pass by, and that’s actually the only time I went to see them physically. So, here’s going to be the second time!

What does the Tour mean to you now?

I always feel connected through the memories. Everybody’s been to see it at some point in their life. The fact that it’s coming here is connecting me to all of the French people I know who will go to see it in France or watch it on TV. I’m not going to cry over it, but if it was cancelled, I would be a bit sad! I’m very happy that it’s coming here.

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INTERVIEW

THE DANE WHO BECAME KING OF THE MOUNTAINS

FLICKR/ ED W

CHRISTIAN WENANDE

The winner of four Tour de France stages and a former mountain biking world champion, Michael Rasmussen can be counted among the legends of Danish cycling.

He also won the famed Polka Dots Jersey – the Tour de France classification awarded to the rider that gains the most points by reaching mountain summits before anyone else – in 2005 and 2006.

He remains the only Dane to ever accomplish that feat and is one of just a handful of riders to win it more than once.

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The woe of 2007 He also came tantalisingly close to winning the Tour de France outright in 2007, winning two stages and looking certain to become just the second Dane in history after Bjarne Riis to win the grueling race. Back home, a riveted Denmark watched from the edge of their seats.

But with just four stages to go and holding a commanding 3-minute lead, his hopes were dashed after being suspended from the race for allegedly lying about his whereabouts earlier that summer.

To this day, Rasmussen disputes the suspension, arguing that his Dutch team at the time, Rabobank, was aware of his whereabouts.

Pedalling to this day These days the ‘Chicken from Tølløse’, as he is affectionately known in Denmark, remains active in the cycling community and teaches mountain biking, sports communication and monitoring at Hald Ege efterskole, a boarding school near Viborg that is dedicated to sports.

On the side, he will cover the Tour de France for Ekstra Bladet this summer, bringing his wealth of knowledge and experience to the newspaper’s readers.

And as the Tour de France inches closer with a historic start in Copenhagen, CPH Post got in on the action, sitting down for a chat with the cycling legend.

How important is it for Denmark to host the Tour de France?

Everybody probably has their own perspective and relationship with the Tour de France in some regard. But for many it will be a once in a lifetime experience to have the biggest annual sports event passing by their house – or at least very nearby. And it’s definitely an experience that nobody should miss out on.

Do you have any plans for the race?

I am covering the entire Tour de France for Ekstra Bladet newspaper. So I’ll be working for 24 days straight. As a reporter it’s certainly long days that’s for sure. Our day usually ends with, on a good day, us sitting at a restaurant at 21:00. And on a bad day, we are passing through a drive-in McDonalds

INTERVIEW

at 23:30 at night. So in that sense, the days are very long, but nevertheless if you’re into cycling that’s the place to be. You want to be on the Tour.

As a rider that’s also where you want to be.

All teams line up with their best possible eight riders in the best possible shape so that’s really where you discover who the best cyclist in the world is.

Has that made the sport more watchable?

There are certainly more than a handful of riders these days who are performing at the highest level and who are not using the Sky tactic of monitoring everything until the finish line. Riders who are not afraid of attacking 50km from the line, instead of sitting there and watching their power readers and waiting until the last 4-5 km. That makes it much more watchable.

Who were the characters on the Tour back when you were racing? Did you have any idols growing up?

I was fortunate enough to compete against Lance Armstrong and Jan Ullrich and to me those two guys remain some of the biggest characters in cycling. Growing up, I was very fond of Greg Lemond. He was certainly one of my favourites and eventually he became my coach when I was a mountain biker.

FACEBOOK/MICHAEL RASMUSSEN

Are there any other prospective performers?

In terms of winning it all, Vingegaard is the only one to watch, but aside from him you have a handful of riders who could pull off stage wins and it’s very likely that one of them will succeed. Magnus Cort won a stage last year and Søren Kragh Andersen won two, for instance. And you have other guys like Mads Pedersen who came close with a couple of second places. And Jakob Fuglsang came very close to winning a stage. There are several riders capable of doing it.

Rasmussen (top) starting racing when he was just eight years old

VISITDENMARK/KIM WYON

Jonas Vingegaard finished runner-up last year. Do you expect him to go for the top spot this year?

No, that would be a very tall task, even though he was the prime contender last year to Pogacar. But Pogacar has been riding this year, last year and the year before for that matter, so he’ll certainly be the man to beat and it will take nothing short of a miracle for Vingegaard to win the Tour. The way I see it, Pogacar is head and shoulders above everybody.

How has the sport changed since you were a rider?

Oh it’s much more monitored now than it was back then. Now it’s very data driven, like Formula 1. When the British team Sky came into cycling, they started optimising so many different parameters and everybody followed suit so I think the general level in cycling now is very high. Everyone knows that you can’t leave anything to chance. You need to flip all the stones to optimise whatever can be optimised. Now they have coaches monitoring heart rates, wattages, sleeping patterns and whatnot and they can actually predict how hard they can push each rider, for how long and when they need to be taken out of the battle to save them for later stages. It’s quite amazing, but it also maybe sometimes takes the anarchy out of cycling which is why it is so wonderful that you have guys like Pogacar, Van der Poel and Wout van Aert, who don’t give a shit about tactics sometimes and just race.

FACEBOOK/MICHAEL RASMUSSEN

Denmark seems to be brimming with talent at the moment. Is this a golden age for Danish cycling?

Yeah it’s a very unique situation and it’s been like that for the past four or five seasons.

It certainly is the best generation ever for Danish cycling. Not only in terms of results but also in terms of the numbers. Never before has Denmark had so many riders at the World Tour level so they must really be doing something right in the Danish cycling clubs to cultivate all this talent.

to the road to pursue the childhood dream of winning the Tour de France.

A riding session with Denmark’s future road racing world champion Mads Pedersen

Of the three stages in Denmark, which one stands out the most to you?

Like most people, I’m looking forward to the peloton crossing the Great Belt Bridge [Storebæltsbroen], which I think will be quite spectacular. Obviously we’ll need some help from the wind, but the TV images will be amazing regardless. It’s quite a demanding trip down the coast from Kalundborg to Korsør to get to the bridge, and if they see headwinds there, they will have a crosswind when they traverse the bridge. It will be a very demanding day for the peloton since the wind does blow there 90 out of 100 days.

FACEBOOK/MICHAEL RASMUSSEN

How did you get into cycling in the first place?

I started as a road rider when I was eight years old and switched to mountain biking in my late teens. I was quite good at it and stuck around for ten years before going back

FACEBOOK/HALD EGE EFTERSKOLE

And then the time trial in Copenhagen will be a determining factor for the result of the final Tour winner because, as with every time trial, you can see quite significant time gaps in just 13km of racing.

These days, Rasmussen teaches at a sports efterskole boarding school in Jutland. He will lend his expertise to Ekstra Bladet during the Tour this summer

LE TOUR 2022

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Experience a world under the seven seas and enjoy a close encounter with majestic hammerhead sharks and elegant rays at Northern Europe’s largest and most modern aquarium.

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