The 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins hailed it as the biggest shock in 16 years at the UCI Road World Championship.
Crown Prince Frederik might not have heard of the winning cyclist, but he promptly pulled out his mobile to offer his congratulations.
And Copenhagen City Hall started mixing some pancakes – a surefire sign that Denmark has another stunning sporting achievement to celebrate.
Rainbow warrior
Make no mistake about it: Mads Pedersen, 23, wrote himself into the record books when he powered away from a breakaway group of three in the final 200 metres to win the world championship elite men’s road race in Yorkshire, England on September 29.
Not only did he become the first Danish man to become a world champion – Amalie Dideriksen won a world title in 2016 – but he will get to wear the coveted rainbow jersey for a year.
Meanwhile, team-mates Michael Valgren and Jakob Fuglsang finished sixth and 12th, and at the same championship, 20-year-old Mikkel Bjerg won his third world title in a row in the time trial in the under-23 category.
Big game for Denmark
Denmark face Switzerland at home on Saturday, knowing that defeat in the Euro 2020 qualifier would severely dent their chances of making the finals. Currently two points behind Ireland, the Danes are just a point ahead of the Swiss, who have a game in hand. Parken is sold out for the clash.
New Firm joy at last
Brøndby beat FC Copenhagen 3-1 in the New Firm on October 6, ending a run of four defeats in the derby. Meanwhile, FCK are top of their Europa League group after beating Swiss side Lugano 1-0 at home and drawing away in Malmö. Next up is Dynamo Kiev away on October 24.
Not expecting much
Just 10 months before the 2020 Olympic Games kick off in Tokyo, the Danish athletics federation DIF has come up with a reserved prediction for Denmark’s expected medal count. Citing dwindling hopes in sailing, badminton and rowing, the DIF experts have written off any hopes of matching the 15 medals won in Rio.
Towers lose out
The Vejle-based American football club Triangle Razorbacks won the Mermaid Bowl at Gladsaxe Stadium on October 5, denying the Copenhagen Towers a third consecutive title, whilst also matching their overall haul of eight. Their 20-14 win saw Razorbacks running back Niko LeVahn Lester named MVP.
Out of the closet
Gay women’s football star Pernille Harder has praised Rungsted Seier Capital netminder Jon Lee-Olsen for becoming the first Danish ice hockey player to come out of the closet. Lee-Olsen revealed all on the live TV2 show ‘Go’ aften live’ on October 3. According to TV2, only two other ice hockey players in the world have come out during their active careers.
Watch drama at Nice
Kasper Dolberg was at the centre of considerable drama at his club Nice recently, but not for his goals. Lamine Diaby Fadiga, a promising Nice youngster with several French under-18 caps, has been sacked after admitting that he had stolen Dolberg’s 500,000 kroner watch. Dolberg, meanwhile, has scored two goals in five league games since moving from Ajax this summer.
2020 bound Wozzie misses China final
Following her semi-final loss to Naomi Osaka at the China Open, Caroline Wozniacki still hasn’t won a tournament in 2019. Adding insult to injury, the Dane dropped out of the top 20 for the first time in three years. But despite retirement rumours, Wozniacki looks set to keep going next year as she has confirmed she will take part in the 2020 Australia Open.
DBU supports UEFA
The DBU supports UEFA’s decision to boycott games in countries where women don’t have access to stadiums. Recently a Iranian woman set fire to herself and died on September 2 after being arrested for dressing up as a man to watch her favourite team Esteghlal play. Iran will introduce a female-only seating area at its next World Cup qualifier on October 10.
Epic swim
Extreme swimmer Lars Simonsen has completed an epic swim around the Danish coastline. Swimming for seven months and ten days, Simonsen has become the first person to ever complete the journey of 1,370 km. Simonsen struggled to cover 15 metres when training first began. In total, the coastline measures 8,750 km when every single inlet and island is taken into account.
Olesen’s next court date
Thorbjørn Olesen is maintaining his innocence in connection with violence and sexual assault charges, which he claims were the result of his medication. The golfer was arrested upon arrival at London Heathrow on July 29 after an incident on his flight from Memphis, and he is due to attend a hearing in the UK on December 13.
World record in capital
A new world record was set at the Copenhagen Half Marathon on September 15. Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya completed the circuit in 57 minutes and 59 seconds, smashing the previous world record of 58 minutes, 18 seconds.
Tennis starlet shines
Clara Tauson has made a huge jump up the world tennis rankings following victory in the final of the ITF women’s singles in Israel. The victory landed Tauson 80 points and saw her moved up 67 places to number 235.
