Cycling fans came out in force in Haderslev today to watch the action unfolded as New Zealand's Sam Gaze and France's Pauline Ferrand-Prévot captured the respective men's and women's crowns.

The one-day event put the seal on an action-packed three-month period which has seen Denmark host a series of major cycling competitions.

As well as staging the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships for the first time, Denmark held the Tour de France Grand Départ and the start of the Tour of Scandinavia which doubled up as a UCI Women’s World Tour event.

There were also Danish winners with Jonas Vingegaard crowned Tour de France champion before Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig secured the Tour of Scandinavia title.

Lars Lundov, director of Sport Event Denmark, hailed the staging of the three competitions as a massive triumph for the nation.

"What a summer of Danish sporting events," said Lundov.

"With the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships, we crown a summer in which cycling, particularly, has put Denmark on the map.

"Both the start of the Tour de France, and the start of the women's Tour of Scandinavia showed Denmark from the road and the cycling from the side of the road.

"Today's Worlds have taken us into the forests and on the paths around Haderslev."

Jesper Tikøb, head of events at the Danish Cycling Federation, said Denmark had picked up "momentum" due to the success of the competitions and stressed the need to ensure that does not fizzle out.

"The Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships is one flower in the big line of flower events in Denmark," Tikøb told insidethegames.

"This summer has been amazing and the Grand Départ was the biggest of them all.

"There were a lot of cycling activities around the Grand Départ and that’s one of the most important things that we are doing Denmark.

"This is not just this summer, this is part of the future.

"It's like building a house.

"We have done the basics as the public is very excited about it.

"We can see in the local clubs that more children are getting very interested in cycling and this is due to what has happened this summer.

"We now have to use this momentum in a good way when it comes to recruiting new athletes and showing the authorities and municipalities that we are capable of working together to host big events in Denmark."

Two major cycling events are set to be held in Denmark in 2024, with Aalborg due to hold the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships and Ballerup set to stage the UCI Track World Championships.

"The people behind the Grand Depart have shown that nothing is impossible when it comes to hosting great events in Denmark," said Tikøb.

"This will inspire a lot of people out in the smallest communities as well as the big planning for upcoming events."

Tikøb was instrumental in the hosting of the Tour de Storebælt in June that attracted 16,000 recreational riders.

"It has been an incredible summer as you have seen and everyone wants to be a part of it but now it is a matter of keeping that enthusiasm going through the winter and into next spring," added Tikøb.