Pre-Race
The Tour of Denmark is about to begin, and i have just recieved the race profiles. It's basically a most flat race, but with some hills at stage 2 and 3, plus a time trial at stage 5.

We've brought Edvald Boasson for this race, and he will stand as our undisputed main leader, and has to be seen as the clear favorite for the whole race. I'm probably not going to participate in the leadout trains, since i've been given a free role. But i'll surely have to go and grap some waterbottles from time to time.

I'm feeling great, so i'm excited to see how the race develops. I'd like to have some results home myself also, and i should have some free space for a breakaway at one point hopefully, to seek my own luck.

	E. Boasson Hagen
	G. Thomas, V. Gusev
	M. Wynants, S. Ponzi, N. Sørensen

A breakaway of four weaker riders came out early in the pouring rain. With a long stage with rain and winds, their mission seemed to be doomed sooner than it began. Competing as stage-favorite, Sky took their turns in front of the pack, to keep the break in short distance.


With 10 kilometres left, the break was reeled in again, while Sky was already forming their leadout train alongside Rabobank.


As the sprint started to begin, Eisel, Thomas and Edvald took the front right where they wanted to be, showing their huge strengths. Puccio had kept himself up front also, lying in 8th position behind Ponzi.


Thomas led Edvald to the 1 km banner, and now all Edvald had to do was to pull the tricker, as Thomas would drop down again. Amazingly Puccio still managed to keep up front as Eisel was dropping back.


Edvald got free and stormed towards the finishline with Miyazawa and Pedersen in his back. Pedersen came really fast, but was Edvald able to hold him back for the final hundred metres?


Yes he was! Edvald takes stage 1 and the yellow jersey. An amazing start for Team Sky here in Denmark. Puccio impresses in the sprint once again, and finishes in 5th in front of Haedo himself!

1	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Sky Procycling	4h03'21
2	Martin Pedersen	Christina Watches - Onfone	s.t.
3	Takashi Miyazawa	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	s.t.
4	Simone Ponzi	Astana Pro Team	s.t.
5	Salvatore Puccio	Sky Procycling	s.t.
6	Juan José Haedo	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	s.t.
7	Rüdiger Selig	Katusha Team	s.t.
8	Sebastian Lander	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	s.t.
9	Alexander Khatuntsev	RusVelo	s.t.
10	Geraint Thomas	Sky Procycling	s.t.

1	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Sky Procycling	4h03'01
2	Martin Pedersen	Christina Watches - Onfone	+ 8
3	Morten Høberg	Team Concordia – Himmerland	s.t.
4	Takashi Miyazawa	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	+ 12
5	Alexander Mironov	RusVelo	s.t.
6	Stefano Pirazzi	Colnago - CSF Inox	+ 16
7	Simone Ponzi	Astana Pro Team	+ 20
8	Salvatore Puccio	Sky Procycling	s.t.
9	Juan José Haedo	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	s.t.
10	Rüdiger Selig	Katusha Team	s.t.

1	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Sky Procycling	25
2	Martin Pedersen	Christina Watches - Onfone	20
3	Takashi Miyazawa	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	16
4	Simone Ponzi	Astana Pro Team	14
5	Morten Høberg	Team Concordia – Himmerland	12
6	Salvatore Puccio	Sky Procycling	12
7	Juan José Haedo	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	10
8	Rüdiger Selig	Katusha Team	9
9	Alexander Mironov	RusVelo	8
10	Sebastian Lander	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	8

1	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Sky Procycling	4h03'01
2	Morten Høberg	Team Concordia – Himmerland	+ 8
3	Stefano Pirazzi	Colnago - CSF Inox	+ 16
4	Simone Ponzi	Astana Pro Team	+ 20
5	Salvatore Puccio	Sky Procycling	s.t.
6	Rüdiger Selig	Katusha Team	s.t.
7	Sebastian Lander	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	s.t.
8	Sacha Modolo	Colnago - CSF Inox	s.t.
9	Christian Moberg Jørgensen	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	s.t.
10	Rasmus Guldhammer	Christina Watches - Onfone	s.t.

What an amazing day for the team. We got the start that we wanted, and i'm confident that Edvald will keep that jersey right until the finish.

I'm so happy about my own performance today, it seems like i've found my old sprinting legs from my youth time again. I was more of a sprinter in that time, but things have changed, though i can still benefit a little from back then.

@Ian: Of course! Sprinting is a important part of being a puncheur and especially if your idol is Freire

Ian Butler wrote:
Wow, what a sprint by Salvatore
Let's hope he can still progress his sprinting alongside his climbing!

Todays breakaway contained yet again four riders. This time
J. Romero, K. Klostergård, T. Riis and E. Battaglin, were the ones who slipped away. Thankfully todays weather seemed much better than yesterdays dim rain and winds.


Rounding a little lake while going through a forrest, the pack was once again led by Team Sky, with Edvald Boasson in front. The breakaway held a fine speed, but everyone knew that the pack was in full control.


The breakaway got reeled in as the riders were nearing the final. On the last hill, Sky's young Italian, Salvatore Puccio, made a strong move. He was able to get a quick little gap on his own.


Puccio drove himself to the limit and suddenly he had a half minute gap to the pack, who was led by Rabobank and Glud & Marstrand.


Going under the five kilometer mark, Puccio still had a little gap to the pack. I wonder what Eddy and the DS was saying to this, as the yellow jersey holder, had to await sprinting in favour for Puccio.


Rounding the last and almost 45 degree turn, the pack was able to smell Puccio, as he got around. Edvald kept himself up front, but knew he shouldn't set the pace. No way that this was going to work...


With 500 to go, Edvald had to take the front, as Puccio seemed to be too close to the pack, to take home the victory.


Or did he start sprinting because he knew that none from the pack was going to catch Puccio? From this point of view it almost looked as like Puccio was going to take the win!


A punch in the Sky from Puccio, as he crosses the line, taking his first ever professional victory! What a solo effort. This has to be a crucial turning point in his career, which has already been showing lots of quality around the globe of cycling.


And to make good even better, Edvald Boasson Hagen managed to take second place, keeping his yellow jersey. What a stage for the British team!

1	Salvatore Puccio	Sky Procycling	4h36'03
2	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Sky Procycling	s.t.
3	Sacha Modolo	Colnago - CSF Inox	s.t.
4	Yury Trofimov	Katusha Team	s.t.
5	Tom Leezer	Rabobank Cycling Team	s.t.
6	Maarten Wynants	Rabobank Cycling Team	s.t.
7	Rasmus Guldhammer	Christina Watches - Onfone	s.t.
8	Sebastian Lander	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	s.t.
9	Simone Ponzi	Astana Pro Team	s.t.
10	Vladimir Isaychev	Katusha Team	s.t.

1	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Sky Procycling	8h38'52
2	Salvatore Puccio	Sky Procycling	+ 12
3	Martin Pedersen	Christina Watches - Onfone	+ 20
4	Morten Høberg	Team Concordia – Himmerland	s.t.
5	Sacha Modolo	Colnago - CSF Inox	+ 24
6	Takashi Miyazawa	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	s.t.
7	Alexander Mironov	RusVelo	s.t.
8	Simone Ponzi	Astana Pro Team	+ 32
9	Sebastian Lander	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	s.t.
10	Yury Trofimov	Katusha Team	s.t.

1	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Sky Procycling	45
2	Salvatore Puccio	Sky Procycling	37
3	Martin Pedersen	Christina Watches - Onfone	25
4	Simone Ponzi	Astana Pro Team	21
5	Sacha Modolo	Colnago - CSF Inox	21
6	Yury Trofimov	Katusha Team	18
7	Takashi Miyazawa	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	16
8	Sebastian Lander	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	16
9	Morten Høberg	Team Concordia – Himmerland	12
10	Tom Leezer	Rabobank Cycling Team	12

1	Enrico Battaglin	Colnago - CSF Inox	10
2	Kasper Klostergaard	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	3
3	Thomas Nybo Riis	Blue Water Cycling	3
4	Jeffry Romero	Colombia - Coldeportes	2

1	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Sky Procycling	8h38'52
2	Salvatore Puccio	Sky Procycling	+ 12
3	Morten Høberg	Team Concordia – Himmerland	+ 20
4	Sacha Modolo	Colnago - CSF Inox	+ 24
5	Simone Ponzi	Astana Pro Team	+ 32
6	Sebastian Lander	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	s.t.
7	Rasmus Guldhammer	Christina Watches - Onfone	s.t.
8	Rüdiger Selig	Katusha Team	s.t.
9	Christian Moberg Jørgensen	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	s.t.
10	Patrick Clausen	Glud & Marstrand - LRØ	s.t.

That was amazing! Words cannot describe the hapiness and pride i feel inside, right now. I've never dared hoping for my first victory to come this season, but i knew it was possible for me to do.

I had a talk with Shane, my DS, before i made my move. I said i was feeling too great to stay in the pack, and that if i saw a chance, i would take it. He didn't quite agree, but when i first got off, he motivated me to the very finish in the radio.

I feel like having let down Eddy a little, but he understands me, and recognized the same feelings that he has had before. And with the result coming out, i think that none can be unhappy at the time being.


More hills are to come tomorrow, but for me, this race is already over. I have achieved more than i'd ever imagined, and will give my everything for Edvald to win this race the next couple of days.