Racing
Magnus Cort races into the polka dot jersey
Our Dane leads the Tour de France’s climbers’ competition after the first road stage in Denmark
July 2, 2022
On home roads, Magnus raced into the Tour de France’s polka dot jersey during the second stage of the Tour de France. Countless red-and-white flags were flying, as he sprinted up his country’s mountains.
“It’s unbelievable,” Magnus said. “For sure it helped me a lot, being on Danish roads. I knew it was a really good opportunity for me to get on the Tour de France podium in Denmark and it’s unbelievable that I was there wearing one of the jerseys. For me the biggest and the most important is to get it on Danish soil and then ride in it. That mission is completed, and that’s a really good feeling.”
They are hills, but at the start of the stage in Roskilde every rider in the peloton knew that the best climber in the break would be on the podium when the Tour arrived in Nyborg. Magnus went for it. When he crossed the summit of the final hill and secured his lead in the climber’s competition, roars could be heard all across Denmark, and he celebrated along with them.
“I think even though I come from far away everyone is cheering me on. It’s not like I’m from a different country. We are all Danes. It’s unbelievable to be riding around out there, especially when I was in the break and people have a bit more time to see you coming and they scream your name. That’s something I have never experienced like that beside and I probably never will,” Magnus said.
"It’s unbelievable to be riding around out there, especially when I was in the break and people have a bit more time to see you coming and they scream your name. That’s something I have never experienced like that beside and I probably never will."
The Tour won’t reach the high mountains until the end of the first week, when it arrives in Alsace. Magnus will give his all to hold onto the polka shirt until then.
“For sure I would love to hang on to it for as long as possible, but I also have to be realistic and will probably not have it until Paris,” he said.
For now, Magnus is just enjoying one of the most meaningful moments in his career.
“It was amazing and for sure it inspired me a lot to really give it everything, to give it everything out there. It’s a big help to have so many Danes and flags and people screaming my name on the road,” he said. “It’s really inspiring.”