[05.05 17:06] Saturday, he won GP Herning on home ground and today, Team Saxo Bank’s Alex Rasmussen out sprinted everyone on stage one of Four Days at Dunkirk from Dunkirk to Bray-Dunes.

Today, Team Saxo Bank and the rest of the international peloton did the 143.8 kilometer long first stage of Four Days at Dunkirk. And as expected, the chasing pack caught a defenseless breakaway trio and the stage was decided in a bunch sprint where the Danish power engine blasted away taking the prize ahead of Gerald Ciolek (Milram) and Kevin Ista (Cofidis).

“It was quite a difficult stage with a lot of wind but the guys managed the situation really well and there was no stress. Our plan was to protect JJ (Haedo), Dominic (Klemme) and Alex (Rasmussen), so the rest of the squad worked hard in the front of the peloton. The finish was a kind of stressful but from out of nowhere, Alex (Rasmussen) turned up and simply proved that he was the strongest of the bunch. We are happy about taking the overall lead but we know that it is going to be difficult keeping it. However, we have a few good cards on our hand and we are taking up the challenge. I am sure that Alex is eager to keep on to the jersey”, said Bradley McGee after the stage.

And today’s Team Saxo Bank stage winner agreed:

”Today’s victory was my breakthrough on the road. To win a stage in this strong peloton is just indescribably awesome. Actually, my role was to be JJ’s (Haedo) lead-out but I noticed that he was being held back so I went for Ciolek’s wheel. And as he opened a long sprint I was able to pass him on the final meters. Of course, I hope to stay in the lead of the race one more day. But it’s going to be difficult on the final stages of the race. The stage profiles are uneven like a saw,” said a happy Alex Rasmussen after his astonishing stage win.

Team Saxo Bank’s line-up in the race: Alex Rasmussen, Frank Høj, Kasper Klostergaard, Jaroslaw Marycz, Dominic Klemme, Juan José Haedo og Jonas Aaen Jørgensen.