Danish public expects Tour de France stage win, Danish riders do not
Five Danes all riding as domestiques
The Danish public believes there will be a Danish stage win in this year's Tour de France. However, the Danish riders, who would bring in those wins, do not agree.
In a poll conducted for the Ritzau news agency, 51 percent of those responding said that one of the five Danish riders in the Tour would win a stage. 27 percent disagreed, while 22 percent had no opinion.
Denmark is represented at the Tour this year by Chris Anker Sørensen, Nicki Sørensen and Brian Vandborg (Saxo Bank-Sungard), Jakob Fuglsang (Leopard Trek), Lars Bak (HTC-Highroad)
The three Saxo Bank-Sungard riders have a goal which does not include stage wins for themselves. They are there to support captain and defending champion Alberto Contador.
“Everything is going to be about Contador,” said Nicki Sørensen. Even on the transitional stages, where the Spaniard will not need as much help, “we need to recuperate.”
Sørensen won a stage at the 2009 Tour, the last to be won by a Dane.
Fuglsang had similar reasons to not look for a stage win. “The goal for me is to help Andy and Fränk Schleck on to the podium, and then see if I can do well,” he said.
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Bak is expected to have his hands full supporting sprinters Mark Cavendish and Matthew Goss, as well as top-ten hopeful Tony Martin.