PostNord Danmark Rundt - Tour of Denmark

Mauro Schmid confirmed his potential as a stage racer, racking up his third top 10 finish of the year. Tenth overall at the Tour of Oman in the beginning of the season and victorious at the Belgium Tour, Schmid concluded a hard week of racing in Denmark as Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s top finisher, after a solid all-round outing.

The 22-year-old began the last stage, which travelled to Vejle over a hilly course, in 13th overall, but made an important jump in the standings thanks to a strong ride that saw him come fifth on the line, same time as the winner. Sixth in the final rankings, only 30 seconds from the podium, Mauro talked about his week in Denmark and the result – an encouraging one after illness forced him to abandon the Tour de Pologne at the beginning of the month.

“From the start it was quite fast and hectic today. On the last climb, with two kilometers to go, I wasn’t in a good position, also on the last steep part up to the finish line I wasn’t really where I should have been to be competitive for the stage win. But I tried to go as fast as possible, and in the end I managed to come back for the sprint but then I was quite empty. I didn’t really know what to expect this week, as I had no idea what shape I would have after last week, and after around seven days off the bike. In general, I’m quite happy with this week, but not with the time trial. There I felt I wasn’t at 100%, but considering that I finished sixth despite losing 30 seconds there, I can be happy and more confident for the next races”, Mauro explained.

Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images