Tour de France remembers victims of Copenhagen shooting with minute of applause

The Tour de France will today pay tribute to the victims of the shooting in Copenhagen on Sunday with a minute's applause at the start of the fourth stage in Dunkirk.

The ten Danish riders competing in the race will line up at the front of the peloton during the tributes, Tour de France organiser ASO said. 

On Sunday, just as the race was leaving Danish soil, a 22-year-old gunman, who has since been arrested, killed three people and seriously injured another four at the Fields Shopping Centre in Denmark's capital city.

Tour officials used the nearby Bella Centre as a race headquarters during the grand départ, which started with a time trial in Copenhagen on Friday before two further road stages in Denmark. 

Sunday's stage three concluded in Sønderborg, ahead of a rest day on Monday. As news of the shooting broke the race was heading to Dunkirk for the fourth stage on Tuesday and the majority of the peloton - plus organisers and press, including Cycling Weekly's team - were embarking on their onward journey.

ASO released a statement on Sunday night, sending its "sincerest condolences" to the victims and families. 

In the statement, the organiser said: "The Tour de France assures the Danish people of its sympathy and compassion in this time. The Tour is extremely shocked and saddened to hear of what has happened in Copenhagen.

“The people of Copenhagen had given the peloton one of the greatest welcomes in the sport’s history, forging deep bonds with all its followers. The entire caravan of the Tour de France sends its sincerest condolences to the victims and their families.”

Multiple Tour teams also shared their sympathies to Denmark, with BikeExchange-Jayco, Astana Qazaqstan, Lotto Soudal, Israel-Premier Tech, Team DSM, Arkéa–Samsic, Cofidis and TotalEnergies all responding to ASO's statement amid the tragic news.