Van Aert Makes It Three From Three And Tightens His Grip On Denmark

Wout van Aert’s comeback at the Tour of Denmark has developed into complete domination. The Belgian won Friday’s demanding third stage in Vejle, completing a hat-trick after also taking the opening two days and extending his lead in the overall classification.

At 202.6 kilometres, the route from Fredericia was the longest of the race. Rain made the roads more dangerous and several crashes complicated a stage already shaped by repeated attacks and the short, steep climbs around Vejle.

Van Aert remained close to the front during the decisive phase and once again proved the fastest when the remaining contenders reached the finish. The victory was more revealing than his previous sprint wins because it came after a long, selective day that required endurance, positioning and the ability to respond on the climbs.

The Visma-Lease a Bike leader now holds a 20-second advantage over Lukáš Kubiš, while teammate Christophe Laporte is third at 30 seconds. Having two riders near the top gives Visma several tactical options, but Van Aert has so far needed little protection when the race has reached its decisive moments.

Saturday’s fourth stage covers 172.6 kilometres from Rudkøbing to Faaborg and offers another hilly test before Sunday’s conclusion. Van Aert remains the clear favourite for the overall victory, but the race is not finished. His rivals must now decide whether to attack from distance or risk allowing the Belgian to reach another finale with the strongest sprint.