Denmark has given Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard an enthusiastic welcome.
Thousands and thousands of people cheered the 25-year-old Dane as he drove from Copenhagen-Kastrup Airport in a convertible towards the city center and then appeared on the balcony of Copenhagen City Hall in the yellow jersey of the overall winner of the Tour de France. “A thousand thanks to everyone who has supported me over the past three weeks. A thousand thanks!” the professional cyclist called out to the crowd on Rådhuspladsen from the balcony. He was visibly at a loss for words.
The Copenhagen district of Amager at times resembled the legendary arrival at the Tour mountain stage to Alpe d’Huez with closely packed fans on Vingegaard’s way towards the center. Vingegaard high-fived with crowds from the passenger seat while his girlfriend Trine and daughter Frida sat in the back seat. Many people waved red and white Denmark flags, others cycled alongside the vehicle in the cycling-loving capital. The crowd in the town hall square also sang the national anthem with him.
25,000 people expected at Tivoli
Later, further celebrations were planned in the nearby amusement park Tivoli, up to 25,000 people were expected there. Vingegaard continues on Thursday with a celebration in his home town of Glyngøre in Jutland. The police expect up to 10,000 participants there.
Vingegaard became the second Dane to win the Tour de France after Bjarne Riis on Sunday – fittingly in the year in which the world’s largest cycling tour started in Copenhagen for the first time. Riis had triumphed on the 1996 tour as captain of the German team Telekom and was also applauded by crowds in Denmark afterwards. He later admitted extensive doping.