Cycling start in a maritime setting

Aalborg is one of the five cities that will be visited by Denmark's largest cycling race. In Aalborg, on July 29th, the first stage will have a somewhat unusual start.

The first stage will start from Slotspladsen, where the big international race, The Tall Ships Races, will be held on July 29th. The organizers expect that many of the participating ships will be in port as early as Wednesday, even though the race is not officially scheduled to begin until July 30th. It is also known from previous hostings that many Aalborg residents make a pilgrimage to the waterfront when the first ships have docked. In the evening, there will be concerts at Slotspladsen.

"PostNord Denmark Rundt is a fantastic sporting event, and we are really looking forward to laying asphalt for the first stage this year. It is a celebration of cycling, which is close to the hearts of many Danes. The fact that we can also give the start of the stage extra momentum by starting it from a bustling public festival in the heart of Aalborg only makes it even more spectacular," says Mayor of Aalborg Municipality Lasse Frimand Jensen, who continues: "I am absolutely certain that many Aalborg residents will take the opportunity to give the riders really good energy and atmosphere that will follow them on their journey further north."

"In Aalborg Cyk-Ring we are proud to welcome no less than seven UCI WorldTour teams and seven ProTour teams as well as the Danish national team. For all of us who love cycling, Post Nord is the biggest international race that can be brought to Aalborg, and we cannot help but be amazed after this news has come. As a club with two elite teams: Team Aalborg - Sparekassen Danmark (men's and women's), we constantly deliver riders to the top level of the sport, and we hope that some of the club's talented riders will be on either the national team or one of the big teams that will be starting," says Mikkel Skjellerup, chairman of Aalborg Cyk-Ring.

Stage 1 goes through Brønderslev, Vrå, Pandrup and Brovst, among other places, before sending the riders across the Limfjord via the Aggersund Bridge and back to Aalborg Municipality, where they cycle through Lundby, Halkær, Bislev, Godthåb and Svenstrup. The first stage will then conclude on a 5 km circuit in Mølholm and Hasseris, where the dreaded Skovbakkevej must be climbed three times - before the day's winners are found at the finish line on Annebergvej in Aalborg's Vestby.

Before the start, there will be a team presentation at the Castle Square itself. The riders will be presented from the stage, which will also be used for The Tall Ships Races. Here, spectators can see the entire setup for the cycling race with the many team buses and sports director cars packed with bicycles and other equipment.

That same afternoon, Aalborg Cykle-Ring, in collaboration with Aalborg Municipality, will hold the Children's Tour, where children and young people aged 3-15 can participate in a children's cycling race at the waterfront.