2019 Arctic Race of Norway (HC), Norway

7th edition: August 15 - 18, 2019

Arctic Race of Norway podium history | 2018 edition | 2021 edition (2020 race not run) | Start list | Race preview
Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4

Map of the 2019 Arctic Race of Norway

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Sunday, August 18: 4th & Final stage, Lødingen - Narvik, 165.5 km

Markus Hoelgaard wins the final stage.

Weather at the finish city of Narvik at 1:45 PM, local time: 12C (53F), mostly cloudy, with the wind from the south-southeast at 14 km/hr (9 mph). 50% chance of rain during the afternoon.

The race: Here's the organizer's summary of the final stage.

Norwegian riders made a 1-2 in the conclusive stage of the Arctic Race of Norway with Markus Hoelgaard and national champion Amund Grøndahl Jansen but the overall victory went to Alexey Lutsenko who came third on the line in Narvik and beat Warren Barguil by only one second.

116 riders started stage 4 of the 7th Arctic Race of Norway in Lødingen. Many skirsmishes took place in the first part of the race. Green jersey holder Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) broke away at km 18 along with his team-mate Lasse Norman Hansen and five other riders but they got brought back before the first intermediate sprint at Kongsvik, km 27.5, where Andrea Pasqualon (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) outsprinted Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic) and Krists Neilands (Israel Cycling Academy). Therefore, the race leader extended his advantage over runner up Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) by two seconds. The second fight of the day was for the King of the Mountains. At Gullberget Summit, km 47, Jonas Hvideberg (Uno-X Norwegian Development Team) crested in first position ahead of Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data) and Van der Poel who participated in a 14-man breakaway that generated a six-man strong front group at half way into the race: Hvideberg, Slagter, Andreas Vangstad (Joker Fuel of Norway), Tom Van Asbroeck (Israel Cycling Academy), Pascal Eenkhorn (Jumbo-Visma) and Otto Vergaerde (Corendon-Circus).

Pavel Kotchekov (Katusha-Alpecin), Johan Le Bon (Vital Concept-B&B Hôtels) and Kenny Molly (Wallonie-Bruxelles) bridged the gap to make it a 9-man leading group with 50km to go. Astana and Arkéa-Samsic were the most committed teams at the helm of the peloton, especially the Kazakh team eager to put Lutsenko in a position to contest more time bonuses. The breakaway split and four riders entered the finishing circuit in the lead: Van Asbroeck, Eenkhorn, Vangstad and Hvideberg. The peloton didn’t catch them before the second intermediate sprint of the day with 31.5km to go where Vangstad passed first in front of Eenkhorn and Hvideberg. It was all together again with 29km remaining.

Stage 3 winner Odd Christian Eiking of Wanty-Groupe Gobert went on the hunt for the King of the Mountains salmon jersey with 26.5km to go. Jimmy Janssens (Corendon-Circus), Kristian Aasvold (Coop), Lucas Erikson (Riwal) and Mads Würtz Schmidt (Katusha-Alpecin) got a gap at 20km to go. It was all together again with 17km remaining. Lutsenko beat Barguil for the third and last intermediate sprint with 10km to go. Markus Hoelgaard (Uno-X Norwegian Development Team) went clear in the last climb with 6km to go. He forged on and fended off the return of Grøndahl Jansen of Jumbo-Visma who chased by himself in the last kilometer but couldn’t bridge the gap onto his compatriot. Lutsenko rushed to third place, which awarded him four seconds bonus, the equivalent of his deficit to Barguil, but one second on the line between them two made the Kazakh champion the seventh winner of the Arctic Race of Norway rather than the French champion.

The “heroes of tomorrow” races were contested in Narvik before the arrival of the Arctic Race of Norway. Scotland’s Anna Schackley won the girls’ race ahead of Norwegians Elise Marie Olsen and Anne Dorthe Ysland while Norwegian boys captured the top 4 places with Dennis Gråsvold taking a solo win 4’’ before Tord Gudmestad, Sindre Hvesser Brein and Johannes Staune-Mittet. Britain’s Adam Scarffe finished 5th.

Complete results:

165.5 kilometers raced at an average speed of 46.072 km/hr

1	MARKUS HOELGAARD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	3hr 35min 32sec
2	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
3	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA	@ 3sec
4	WARREN BARGUIL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	04''
5	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
6	LILIAN CALMEJANE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
7	ENRICO GASPAROTTO	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
8	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
9	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
10	SINDRE SKJØSTAD LUNKE	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
11	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	09''
12	STEPHEN CUMMINGS	DIMENSION DATA	12''
13	DMITRII STRAKHOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	20''
14	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
15	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
16	FLORIS DE TIER	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
17	DIMITRI PEYSKENS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
18	ANDREA PASQUALON	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
19	LUCAS ERIKSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
20	KRISTIAN AASVOLD	TEAM COOP	38''
21	JIMMY JANSSENS	CORENDON-CIRCUS	53''
22	FABIEN GRELLIER	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	1' 16''
23	LOIC CHETOUT	COFIDIS	1' 22''
24	QUENTIN PACHER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
25	TROND HÅKON TRONDSEN	TEAM COOP	1' 38''
26	BJØRN TORE HOEM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	2' 17''
27	NATHAN HAAS	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
28	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
29	ARITZ BAGUES	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
30	KIM MAGNUSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
31	BRANDON MCNULTY	RALLY UHC	s.t.
32	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	CORENDON-CIRCUS	2' 57''
33	LOÏC VLIEGEN	WANTY-GOBERT	3' 08''
34	AUGUST JENSEN	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
35	ØIVIND LUKKEDAL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
36	ADAM DE VOS	RALLY UHC	s.t.
37	COLIN JOYCE	RALLY UHC	s.t.
38	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
39	ALESSANDRO FEDELI	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	4' 51''
40	FRANCK BONNAMOUR	ARKEA-SAMSIC	5' 00''
41	PIT LEYDER	COFIDIS	s.t.
42	SIMON CARR	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
43	REIN TAARAMÄE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	5' 17''
44	KRISTER HAGEN	RIWAL READYNEZ	5' 56''
45	FREDERIK BACKAERT	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
46	JORDI WARLOP	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
47	MADS SCHMIDT WÜRTZ	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	6' 32''
48	LOUIS BENDIXEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
49	BRYAN COQUARD	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	6' 35''
50	KEVYN ISTA	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
51	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	6' 48''
52	TOM VAN ASBROECK	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	7' 16''
53	TOM WIRTGEN	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
54	EMILS LIEPINS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
55	YOANN OFFREDO	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
56	EMMANUEL MORIN	COFIDIS	s.t.
57	CHRISTOPHE NOPPE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
58	AKSEL FISCHER AASHEIM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
59	KENNY MOLLY	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
60	JONAS GREGAARD WILSLY	ASTANA	s.t.
61	BRYAN NAULEAU	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
62	DANILO WYSS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
63	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
64	ANDER BARRENETXEA	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
65	KEVIN LEDANOIS	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
66	JONATHAN HIVERT	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
67	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN	CORENDON-CIRCUS	8' 36''
68	THIMO WILLEMS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
69	OLAV HJEMSÆTER	TEAM COOP	s.t.
70	RYAN ANDERSON	RALLY UHC	s.t.
71	JURI HOLLMANN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
72	JULIEN MORTIER	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
73	KRISTOFFER SKJERPING	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
74	JONAS IVERSBY HVIDEBERG	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
75	DRIES DE BONDT	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
76	HÅKON LUNDER AALRUST	TEAM COOP	s.t.
77	THOMAS LEEZER	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
78	STIJN DEVOLDER	CORENDON-CIRCUS	10' 28''
79	LARS SAUGSTAD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	11' 13''
80	ANDREAS VANGSTAD	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	11' 40''
81	ERLEND JORDBREKK BLIKRA	TEAM COOP	s.t.
82	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	15' 06''
83	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
84	RASMUS BØGH WALLIN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
85	JULEN IRIZAR	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
86	HERMAN DAHL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
87	TOBIAS MØRCH KONGSTAD	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
88	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
89	MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
90	PATRICK MÜLLER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
91	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
92	ENZO BERNARD	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
93	PREBEN VAN HECKE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
94	OTTO VERGAERDE	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
95	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	s.t.
96	GUY SAGIV	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
97	SONDRE ENGER	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
98	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
99	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
100	DANNY VAN POPPEL	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
101	PASCAL EENKHOORN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
102	CONNOR SWIFT	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
103	DANIIL FOMINYKH	ASTANA	s.t.
104	YURIY NATAROV	ASTANA	s.t.
105	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	s.t.
106	BERNHARD EISEL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
107	SVEIN TUFT	RALLY UHC	s.t.
108	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
109	KRISTIAN KULSET	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.

Final GC after stage 4:

• Final GC leader: Alexey Lutsenko (Astana)
• Mountains classification winner: Odd Christian Eiking (Wanty-Gobert)
• Points classification winner: Alexey Lutsenko (Astana)
• Best young rider: Krists Neilands (Israel Cycling Academy)
• Team classification winner: Astana

687 kilometers raced at an average speed of 45.828 km/hr

1	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA	14hr 59min 27sec
2	WARREN BARGUIL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	@ 1sec
3	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	19''
4	LILIAN CALMEJANE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	23''
5	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	40''
6	SINDRE SKJØSTAD LUNKE	RIWAL READYNEZ	42''
7	MARKUS HOELGAARD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	43''
8	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN	JUMBO-VISMA	51''
9	ENRICO GASPAROTTO	DIMENSION DATA	53''
10	STEPHEN CUMMINGS	DIMENSION DATA	1' 12''
11	FLORIS DE TIER	JUMBO-VISMA	1' 15''
12	DIMITRI PEYSKENS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	1' 20''
13	LUCAS ERIKSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
14	ANDREA PASQUALON	WANTY-GOBERT	1' 23''
15	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	1' 47''
16	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	1' 59''
17	QUENTIN PACHER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	2' 30''
18	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	2' 53''
19	BRANDON MCNULTY	RALLY UHC	3' 06''
20	ARITZ BAGUES	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	3' 48''
21	KIM MAGNUSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	4' 04''
22	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	CORENDON-CIRCUS	4' 05''
23	FRANCK BONNAMOUR	ARKEA-SAMSIC	6' 31''
24	JORDI WARLOP	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	7' 27''
25	LOIC CHETOUT	COFIDIS	8' 38''
26	JONATHAN HIVERT	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	13' 13''
27	REIN TAARAMÄE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	13' 38''
28	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	16' 03''
29	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING	WANTY-GOBERT	16' 56''
30	PREBEN VAN HECKE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	17' 25''
31	KRISTIAN AASVOLD	TEAM COOP	18' 33''
32	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	18' 47''
33	JIMMY JANSSENS	CORENDON-CIRCUS	19' 16''
34	BJØRN TORE HOEM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	20' 32''
35	LOÏC VLIEGEN	WANTY-GOBERT	21' 56''
36	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	22' 10''
37	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	22' 16''
38	SIMON CARR	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	22' 22''
39	AUGUST JENSEN	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	22' 36''
40	COLIN JOYCE	RALLY UHC	22' 47''
41	ADAM DE VOS	RALLY UHC	23' 24''
42	FABIEN GRELLIER	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	23' 34''
43	PASCAL EENKHOORN	JUMBO-VISMA	24' 04''
44	PIT LEYDER	COFIDIS	24' 08''
45	DMITRII STRAKHOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	24' 15''
46	ØIVIND LUKKEDAL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	24' 26''
47	ALESSANDRO FEDELI	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	24' 30''
48	NATHAN HAAS	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	24' 42''
49	FREDERIK BACKAERT	WANTY-GOBERT	24' 51''
50	JONAS GREGAARD WILSLY	ASTANA	25' 39''
51	MADS SCHMIDT WÜRTZ	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	26' 00''
52	LOUIS BENDIXEN	TEAM COOP	26' 11''
53	DANILO WYSS	DIMENSION DATA	26' 24''
54	YOANN OFFREDO	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
55	TOM WIRTGEN	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	27' 19''
56	KEVIN LEDANOIS	ARKEA-SAMSIC	27' 24''
57	TOM VAN ASBROECK	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	28' 02''
58	KRISTER HAGEN	RIWAL READYNEZ	28' 04''
59	DANNY VAN POPPEL	JUMBO-VISMA	28' 48''
60	RYAN ANDERSON	RALLY UHC	28' 52''
61	KRISTOFFER SKJERPING	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	29' 15''
62	BRYAN NAULEAU	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	29' 34''
63	CHRISTOPHE NOPPE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	29' 38''
64	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	29' 39''
65	ANDER BARRENETXEA	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	29' 51''
66	TROND HÅKON TRONDSEN	TEAM COOP	29' 53''
67	EMILS LIEPINS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	30' 08''
68	ANDREAS VANGSTAD	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	30' 15''
69	JULIEN MORTIER	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	31' 21''
70	KEVYN ISTA	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	31' 31''
71	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN	CORENDON-CIRCUS	31' 55''
72	DRIES DE BONDT	CORENDON-CIRCUS	32' 09''
73	EMMANUEL MORIN	COFIDIS	32' 12''
74	KENNY MOLLY	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	32' 15''
75	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	32' 24''
76	BRYAN COQUARD	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	32' 39''
77	JONAS IVERSBY HVIDEBERG	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	32' 47''
78	OLAV HJEMSÆTER	TEAM COOP	32' 48''
79	JULEN IRIZAR	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	34' 03''
80	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	34' 36''
81	THOMAS LEEZER	JUMBO-VISMA	34' 48''
82	YURIY NATAROV	ASTANA	35' 22''
83	CONNOR SWIFT	ARKEA-SAMSIC	35' 57''
84	ERLEND JORDBREKK BLIKRA	TEAM COOP	36' 15''
85	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	36' 39''
86	THIMO WILLEMS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	36' 51''
87	AKSEL FISCHER AASHEIM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
88	HÅKON LUNDER AALRUST	TEAM COOP	s.t.
89	JURI HOLLMANN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	36' 55''
90	HERMAN DAHL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	37' 14''
91	ENZO BERNARD	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	37' 24''
92	MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
93	DANIIL FOMINYKH	ASTANA	37' 28''
94	LARS SAUGSTAD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
95	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	WANTY-GOBERT	38' 17''
96	PATRICK MÜLLER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	38' 29''
97	OTTO VERGAERDE	CORENDON-CIRCUS	38' 31''
98	GUY SAGIV	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	40' 02''
99	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	40' 25''
100	SONDRE ENGER	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
101	SVEIN TUFT	RALLY UHC	41' 05''
102	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN	JUMBO-VISMA	41' 37''
103	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	42' 01''
104	TOBIAS MØRCH KONGSTAD	RIWAL READYNEZ	43' 15''
105	KRISTIAN KULSET	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	43' 16''
106	RASMUS BØGH WALLIN	RIWAL READYNEZ	43' 21''
107	BERNHARD EISEL	DIMENSION DATA	43' 25''
108	STIJN DEVOLDER	CORENDON-CIRCUS	44' 12''
109	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	51' 44''

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Saturday, August 17: Stage 3, Sortland - Storheia Summit (Melbu), 176.5 km

Odd Christian Eiking wins the Queen Stage.

Weather at the finish at Melbu at 1:40 PM, local time: 16C (60F), partly cloudy, with the wind from the east at 8 km/hr (5 mph).

The race: Here's the organizer's stage three summary.

Norway’s Odd Christian Eiking of Wanty-Groupe Gobert claimed his first win of the 2019 season on home soil as he clinched the queen stage of the Arctic Race of Norway atop the unprecedented and gruelling Storheia Summit. Second on the line, French national champion Warren Barguil from Arkéa-Samsic took the overall lead with a slim advantage of three seconds over Kazakhstan national champion Alexey Lutsenko. A tight finish is expected in the conclusive stage in Narvik!

117 riders started stage 3 of the 7th Arctic Race of Norway in Sortland. Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg was in attendance. Storvatnet climb was located right after the flag off. It was suitable for early attacks. King of the Mountains Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data) passed the Storeidet hill in first position at km 18, after which the breakaway of the day was formed by five riders: stage 2 winner Bryan Coquard (Vital Concept-B&B Hôtels), Kristian Sbaragli (Israel Cycling Academy), Danny van Poppel (Jumbo-Visma), Erlend Blikra (Team Coop) and Thimo Willems (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise). Coquard won the first intermediate sprint at Myre, km 44.5 and the second one at Sortland, km 84. The leading quintet was able to carve out a maximum advantage of 3’20’’ with over 100km remaining. Corendon-Circus and Astana led the peloton to decrease the gap. Sbaragli won the KOM at Storvatnet, km 90, with an advantage of 1’55’’ over the peloton. After two hours of racing, the average speed was 44.3km/h.

Katusha-Alpecin and Delko Marseille seized the command of the peloton. Trainee Juri Hollmann and Przemyslaw Kasperkiewicz were their designated riders for pacing. With Yuriy Natarov pulling as well, Astana continued to show that their ambitions to win the Arctic Race of Norway with Lutsenko were high. Stabilized earlier around 1’15’’, the deficit of the bunch was back up to two minutes when Coquard took the third intermediate sprint ahead of Van Poppel at Stokmarknes with 34.5km to go. Job done, the French sprinter sat up and awaited the peloton. 25km before the end, the deficit of the peloton was 1’25’’. Van Poppel was next to sit up at the 10km to go mark while the time gap was reduced to 45’’.

Blikra attacked at the bottom of the finishing climb with 5.5km to go. 1km further, Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin) sustained a mechanical and got a bike change. Blikra was the last breakaway rider to be reeled in with 3km to go. Loïc Vliegen (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) was first to go clear off the bunch and Barguil the second to up the tempo in a steep part 2.5km before the finish. With 2km to go, race leader Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) had to let four riders go: Lutsenko and Hugo Houle (Astana), Eiking and Barguil. Lilian Calmejane (Total Direct Energie) and Krists Neilands (Israel Cycling Academy) made the junction inside the steep last kilometre. 400 metres before the line, Eiking powered to victory as Barguil and Lutsenko couldn’t hold onto his wheel. They crossed the line in that order with Barguil taking the lead of the general classification over from Van der Poel, with an advantage of 3’’ over Lutsenko and 15’’ over Neilands.

Complete results:

176.5 kilometers raced at an average speed of 41.968 km/hr

1	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING	WANTY-GOBERT	4hr 7min 32sec
2	WARREN BARGUIL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	@ 5sec
3	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA	13''
4	LILIAN CALMEJANE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	17''
5	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
6	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	23''
7	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	32''
8	SIMON CARR	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	36''
9	SINDRE SKJØSTAD LUNKE	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
10	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
11	BRANDON MCNULTY	RALLY UHC	47''
12	ENRICO GASPAROTTO	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
13	FLORIS DE TIER	JUMBO-VISMA	53''
14	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN	JUMBO-VISMA	58''
15	DIMITRI PEYSKENS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
16	STEPHEN CUMMINGS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
17	LUCAS ERIKSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
18	MARKUS HOELGAARD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
19	QUENTIN PACHER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	1' 06''
20	KRISTIAN AASVOLD	TEAM COOP	1' 09''
21	ANDREA PASQUALON	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
22	LOIC CHETOUT	COFIDIS	1' 19''
23	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	CORENDON-CIRCUS	1' 22''
24	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	1' 25''
25	ARITZ BAGUES	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	1' 29''
26	JORDI WARLOP	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
27	BJØRN TORE HOEM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
28	FRANCK BONNAMOUR	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
29	JONAS GREGAARD WILSLY	ASTANA	1' 37''
30	JIMMY JANSSENS	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
31	MAURO FINETTO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	1' 42''
32	MAXIME BOUET	ARKEA-SAMSIC	1' 45''
33	KIM MAGNUSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
34	ANDREAS VANGSTAD	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	1' 52''
35	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	1' 54''
36	LOÏC VLIEGEN	WANTY-GOBERT	2' 02''
37	FREDERIK BACKAERT	WANTY-GOBERT	2' 09''
38	JULEN IRIZAR	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	2' 11''
39	PREBEN VAN HECKE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	2' 17''
40	PIT LEYDER	COFIDIS	2' 22''
41	YOANN OFFREDO	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
42	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
43	DANILO WYSS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
44	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	2' 29''
45	MADS SCHMIDT WÜRTZ	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	2' 42''
46	AUGUST JENSEN	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
47	COLIN JOYCE	RALLY UHC	2' 53''
48	LOUIS BENDIXEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
49	JONATHAN HIVERT	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
50	ALESSANDRO FEDELI	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
51	TOM WIRTGEN	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	3' 17''
52	KEVIN LEDANOIS	ARKEA-SAMSIC	3' 22''
53	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
54	YURIY NATAROV	ASTANA	3' 30''
55	ADAM DE VOS	RALLY UHC	s.t.
56	RYAN ANDERSON	RALLY UHC	s.t.
57	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	3' 43''
58	KRISTOFFER SKJERPING	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	3' 53''
59	TOM VAN ASBROECK	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	4' 01''
60	CONNOR SWIFT	ARKEA-SAMSIC	4' 05''
61	ØIVIND LUKKEDAL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	4' 32''
62	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	4' 47''
63	DRIES DE BONDT	CORENDON-CIRCUS	5' 03''
64	HERMAN DAHL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	5' 22''
65	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
66	KRISTER HAGEN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
67	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN	CORENDON-CIRCUS	5' 27''
68	AKSEL FISCHER AASHEIM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
69	BRYAN NAULEAU	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	5' 32''
70	ENZO BERNARD	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
71	FABIEN GRELLIER	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
72	MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
73	DANIIL FOMINYKH	ASTANA	5' 36''
74	CHRISTOPHE NOPPE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
75	NATHAN HAAS	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	5' 39''
76	ANDER BARRENETXEA	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	5' 49''
77	STIJN DEVOLDER	CORENDON-CIRCUS	5' 57''
78	JULIEN MORTIER	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	5' 59''
79	EMILS LIEPINS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	6' 06''
80	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	6' 08''
81	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	WANTY-GOBERT	6' 25''
82	PATRICK MÜLLER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	6' 37''
83	OTTO VERGAERDE	CORENDON-CIRCUS	6' 39''
84	DMITRII STRAKHOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	7' 09''
85	OLAV HJEMSÆTER	TEAM COOP	7' 26''
86	JONAS IVERSBY HVIDEBERG	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
87	LARS SAUGSTAD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	7' 45''
88	ERLEND JORDBREKK BLIKRA	TEAM COOP	7' 50''
89	ALAN RIOU	ARKEA-SAMSIC	8' 10''
90	JOHAN LE BON	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
91	GUY SAGIV	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
92	EMMANUEL MORIN	COFIDIS	s.t.
93	JÉRÉMY LECROQ	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
94	KEVYN ISTA	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
95	KENNY MOLLY	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	8' 13''
96	REIN TAARAMÄE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	8' 19''
97	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN	JUMBO-VISMA	8' 26''
98	PASCAL EENKHOORN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
99	SONDRE ENGER	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	8' 33''
100	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
101	KEVIN REZA	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	8' 36''
102	SVEIN TUFT	RALLY UHC	8' 51''
103	THOMAS LEEZER	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
104	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
105	JOSE DANIEL VIEJO	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	9' 36''
106	BRYAN COQUARD	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	9' 37''
107	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	9' 54''
108	KRISTIAN KULSET	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	11' 24''
109	RASMUS BØGH WALLIN	RIWAL READYNEZ	11' 29''
110	TOBIAS MØRCH KONGSTAD	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
111	TROND HÅKON TRONDSEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
112	HÅKON LUNDER AALRUST	TEAM COOP	s.t.
113	DANNY VAN POPPEL	JUMBO-VISMA	11' 33''
114	THIMO WILLEMS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
115	BERNHARD EISEL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
116	JURI HOLLMANN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.

GC after stage 3:

521.5 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 45.750 km/hr

1	WARREN BARGUIL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	11hr 23min 56sec
2	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA	@ 3sec
3	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	15''
4	LILIAN CALMEJANE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	18''
5	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	30''
6	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	35''
7	SINDRE SKJØSTAD LUNKE	RIWAL READYNEZ	37''
8	ENRICO GASPAROTTO	DIMENSION DATA	48''
9	BRANDON MCNULTY	RALLY UHC	s.t.
10	MARKUS HOELGAARD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	52''
11	FLORIS DE TIER	JUMBO-VISMA	54''
12	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN	JUMBO-VISMA	56''
13	DIMITRI PEYSKENS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	59''
14	LUCAS ERIKSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
15	STEPHEN CUMMINGS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
16	ANDREA PASQUALON	WANTY-GOBERT	1' 05''
17	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	CORENDON-CIRCUS	1' 07''
18	QUENTIN PACHER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
19	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	1' 26''
20	JORDI WARLOP	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	1' 30''
21	ARITZ BAGUES	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
22	FRANCK BONNAMOUR	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
23	MAURO FINETTO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	1' 43''
24	KIM MAGNUSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	1' 46''
25	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	1' 55''
26	PREBEN VAN HECKE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	2' 18''
27	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	3' 40''
28	JONATHAN HIVERT	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	5' 56''
29	LOIC CHETOUT	COFIDIS	7' 15''
30	REIN TAARAMÄE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	8' 20''
31	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	8' 46''
32	PASCAL EENKHOORN	JUMBO-VISMA	8' 59''
33	DANNY VAN POPPEL	JUMBO-VISMA	13' 41''
34	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING	WANTY-GOBERT	16' 35''
35	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	17' 17''
36	SIMON CARR	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	17' 21''
37	KRISTIAN AASVOLD	TEAM COOP	17' 54''
38	BJØRN TORE HOEM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	18' 14''
39	JONAS GREGAARD WILSLY	ASTANA	18' 22''
40	JIMMY JANSSENS	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
41	MAXIME BOUET	ARKEA-SAMSIC	18' 30''
42	ANDREAS VANGSTAD	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	18' 37''
43	LOÏC VLIEGEN	WANTY-GOBERT	18' 47''
44	FREDERIK BACKAERT	WANTY-GOBERT	18' 54''
45	JULEN IRIZAR	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	18' 56''
46	DANILO WYSS	DIMENSION DATA	19' 07''
47	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
48	YOANN OFFREDO	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
49	PIT LEYDER	COFIDIS	s.t.
50	MADS SCHMIDT WÜRTZ	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	19' 27''
51	AUGUST JENSEN	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
52	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	19' 29''
53	LOUIS BENDIXEN	TEAM COOP	19' 38''
54	COLIN JOYCE	RALLY UHC	s.t.
55	ALESSANDRO FEDELI	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
56	TOM WIRTGEN	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	20' 02''
57	KEVIN LEDANOIS	ARKEA-SAMSIC	20' 07''
58	ADAM DE VOS	RALLY UHC	20' 15''
59	YURIY NATAROV	ASTANA	s.t.
60	RYAN ANDERSON	RALLY UHC	s.t.
61	KRISTOFFER SKJERPING	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	20' 38''
62	TOM VAN ASBROECK	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	20' 45''
63	CONNOR SWIFT	ARKEA-SAMSIC	20' 50''
64	ØIVIND LUKKEDAL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	21' 17''
65	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	21' 32''
66	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	22' 05''
67	HERMAN DAHL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	22' 07''
68	KRISTER HAGEN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
69	ENZO BERNARD	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	22' 17''
70	MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
71	BRYAN NAULEAU	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
72	FABIEN GRELLIER	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
73	CHRISTOPHE NOPPE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	22' 21''
74	DANIIL FOMINYKH	ASTANA	s.t.
75	NATHAN HAAS	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	22' 24''
76	ANDER BARRENETXEA	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	22' 34''
77	JULIEN MORTIER	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	22' 44''
78	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	22' 50''
79	EMILS LIEPINS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	22' 51''
80	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	WANTY-GOBERT	23' 10''
81	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN	CORENDON-CIRCUS	23' 18''
82	PATRICK MÜLLER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	23' 22''
83	OTTO VERGAERDE	CORENDON-CIRCUS	23' 24''
84	DRIES DE BONDT	CORENDON-CIRCUS	23' 32''
85	DMITRII STRAKHOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	23' 54''
86	JONAS IVERSBY HVIDEBERG	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	24' 11''
87	OLAV HJEMSÆTER	TEAM COOP	s.t.
88	ERLEND JORDBREKK	TEAM COOP	24' 34''
89	JÉRÉMY LECROQ	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	24' 55''
90	GUY SAGIV	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
91	KEVYN ISTA	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
92	EMMANUEL MORIN	COFIDIS	s.t.
93	ALAN RIOU	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
94	KENNY MOLLY	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	24' 58''
95	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	25' 18''
96	SONDRE ENGER	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
97	KEVIN REZA	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	25' 48''
98	SVEIN TUFT	RALLY UHC	25' 58''
99	JOHAN LE BON	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	26' 01''
100	BRYAN COQUARD	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	26' 03''
101	THOMAS LEEZER	JUMBO-VISMA	26' 11''
102	LARS SAUGSTAD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	26' 14''
103	JOSE DANIEL VIEJO	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	26' 21''
104	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN	JUMBO-VISMA	26' 30''
105	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	26' 54''
106	TOBIAS MØRCH KONGSTAD	RIWAL READYNEZ	28' 08''
107	KRISTIAN KULSET	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	28' 09''
108	RASMUS BØGH WALLIN	RIWAL READYNEZ	28' 14''
109	THIMO WILLEMS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
110	TROND HÅKON TRONDSEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
111	HÅKON LUNDER AALRUST	TEAM COOP	s.t.
112	BERNHARD EISEL	DIMENSION DATA	28' 18''
113	JURI HOLLMANN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
114	AKSEL FISCHER AASHEIM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	29' 34''
115	STIJN DEVOLDER	CORENDON-CIRCUS	33' 43''
116	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	36' 37''

---

Friday, August 16: Stage 2, Henningsvaer - Svolvær, 164 km

Bryan Coquard wins the second stage.

Weather at the finish city of Svolvær at 1:30 PM, local time: 16C (61F), partly cloudy, with the wind from the east at 13 km/hr (8 mph). Rain is forecast for the evening, but none for the afternoon.

The race: Here's the organizer's stage 2 summary.

Bryan Coquard became the first Frenchman to win a stage at the Arctic Race of Norway. At the end of stage 2 in Svolvær, with the wonderful scenery of the Lofoten islands as a backdrop, he outsprinted Mathieu van der Poel who extended his lead in the overall classification ahead of the queen stage. The Dutch prodigy has put his hands up for defending his “midnight sun” jersey up to the Storheia summit.

117 riders started stage 2 of the 7th Arctic Race of Norway in Henningsvær at 14.08. Erik Nordsætter Resell (Uno-X Norwegian Development Team), Henrik Evensen (Joker Fuel of Norway), Viking of the Day Håkon Aalrust (Team Coop) and Tobias Mørch Kongstad (Riwal Readynez Cycling Team) got clear off the peloton after 2km of racing. Tom Van Asbroeck (Israel Cycling Academy) went in between. The deficit of the peloton led by the team-mates of race leader Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) reached 2’ at km 10. Van Asbroeck kept losing time and surrendered just before the first intermediate sprint at Lofoten Links (km 18.5) where the bunch was timed 3’15’’ behind Mørch Kongstad, Resell and Evensen who crossed the line in that order. The leading quartet made of three Norwegians and a Dane covered 46.4km in the first hour of racing.

Former Belgian champion and double winner of the Tour of Flanders Stijn Devolder did a lot of work at the head of the pack to maintain the time gap at a maximum of 3’30’’. Several teams interested in a bunch sprint finish in Svolvær took over from Corendon-Circus before the last hour of racing: Vital Concept-B&B Hôtels, Delko Marseille, Wallonie-Bruxelles, Cofidis, Wanty-Groupe Gobert. Mørch Kongstad crossed the line the of the second intermediate sprint in first position with 33.5km to go while the time difference was 1’50’’. 15km before the end, Aalrust and Resell sped up in order to keep the breakaway alive. Resell forged on by himself with 8km remaining. He got reined in just before the last intermediate sprint won by his team-mate Markus Hoelgaard with 5km to go. The wearer of the best young rider jersey continued on his own.

It was all together again 2km before the end. Danny van Poppel, second on stage 1, was diverted to the grass by a wave in the peloton with 1.5km to go and that meant one top sprinter was out of contention. Cofidis gave a strong lead out to Christophe Laporte but it was Coquard who timed it at perfection and didn’t give room to Van der Poel to overhaul him. It was the eighth victory of the 27 year old French rider this year while the Dutchman has now 9’’ lead over Alexey Lutsenko and Hoelgaard.

Complete results:

164 kilometers raced at an average speed of 46.595 km/hr

1	BRYAN COQUARD	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	3hr 31min 11sec
2	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
3	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	s.t.
4	AUGUST JENSEN	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
5	LOUIS BENDIXEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
6	HERMAN DAHL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
7	EMILS LIEPINS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
8	NATHAN HAAS	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
9	CHRISTOPHE NOPPE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
10	JORDI WARLOP	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
11	ANDREA PASQUALON	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
12	ERLEND JORDBREKK BLIKRA	TEAM COOP	s.t.
13	SONDRE ENGER	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
14	COLIN JOYCE	RALLY UHC	s.t.
15	WARREN BARGUIL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
16	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
17	OLAV HJEMSÆTER	TEAM COOP	s.t.
18	JOSE VIEJO	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
19	BERNHARD EISEL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
20	OTTO VERGAERDE	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
21	RASMUS BØGH WALLIN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
22	THIMO WILLEMS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
23	TROND HÅKON TRONDSEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
24	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
25	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
26	MADS SCHMIDT WÜRTZ	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
27	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	s.t.
28	LILIAN CALMEJANE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
29	JONAS IVERSBY HVIDEBERG	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
30	ARITZ BAGUES	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
31	ADAM DE VOS	RALLY UHC	s.t.
32	QUENTIN PACHER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
33	CONNOR SWIFT	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
34	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
35	TOM WIRTGEN	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
36	REIN TAARAMÄE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
37	PREBEN VAN HECKE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
38	AKSEL FISCHER AASHEIM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
39	JÉRÉMY LECROQ	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
40	ENRICO GASPAROTTO	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
41	KIM MAGNUSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
42	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA	s.t.
43	DIMITRI PEYSKENS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
44	JURI HOLLMANN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
45	TOM VAN ASBROECK	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
46	KEVIN LEDANOIS	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
47	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
48	BRANDON MCNULTY	RALLY UHC	s.t.
49	KENNY MOLLY	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
50	FREDERIK BACKAERT	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
51	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
52	GUY SAGIV	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
53	KEVYN ISTA	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
54	FLORIS DE TIER	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
55	LUCAS ERIKSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
56	YOANN OFFREDO	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
57	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
58	ØIVIND LUKKEDAL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
59	KRISTOFFER SKJERPING	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
60	BJØRN TORE HOEM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
61	MARKUS HOELGAARD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
62	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
63	JULEN IRIZAR LASKURAIN	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
64	SINDRE SKJØSTAD LUNKE	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
65	DMITRII STRAKHOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
66	RYAN ANDERSON	RALLY UHC	s.t.
67	KRISTER HAGEN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
68	ANDER BARRENETXEA	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
69	FRANCK BONNAMOUR	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
70	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
71	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
72	DANILO WYSS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
73	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
74	ENZO BERNARD	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
75	ALESSANDRO FEDELI	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
76	JONAS GREGAARD WILSLY	ASTANA	s.t.
77	DANIIL FOMINYKH	ASTANA	s.t.
78	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
79	YURIY NATAROV	ASTANA	s.t.
80	ANDREAS VANGSTAD	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
81	KRISTIAN AASVOLD	TEAM COOP	s.t.
82	MAXIME BOUET	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
83	FABIEN GRELLIER	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
84	KRISTIAN KULSET	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
85	HÅKON LUNDER AALRUST	TEAM COOP	s.t.
86	MAURO FINETTO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
87	JONATHAN HIVERT	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
88	STEPHEN CUMMINGS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
89	SIMON CARR	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
90	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
91	JULIEN MORTIER	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
92	TOBIAS MØRCH KONGSTAD	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
93	BRYAN NAULEAU	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
94	LOÏC VLIEGEN	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
95	PASCAL EENKHOORN	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
96	PIT LEYDER	COFIDIS	s.t.
97	MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
98	PATRICK MÜLLER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
99	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
100	JIMMY JANSSENS	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
101	EMMANUEL MORIN	COFIDIS	s.t.
102	ALAN RIOU	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
103	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	@ 15sec
104	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
105	HENRIK EVENSEN	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	22''
106	SVEIN TUFT	RALLY UHC	s.t.
107	KEVIN REZA	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	27''
108	LOIC CHETOUT	COFIDIS	32''
109	THOMAS LEEZER	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	35''
110	JOHAN LE BON	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	1' 06''
111	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
112	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	1' 19''
113	DRIES DE BONDT	CORENDON-CIRCUS	1' 44''
114	LARS SAUGSTAD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
115	DANNY VAN POPPEL	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	2' 15''
116	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	11' 01''
117	STIJN DEVOLDER	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.

GC after stage 2:

345 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 47.461 km/hr

1	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	CORENDON-CIRCUS	7hr 16min 9sec
2	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA	@ 9sec
3	MARKUS HOELGAARD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
4	ANDREA PASQUALON	WANTY-GOBERT	11''
5	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	12''
6	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	13''
7	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
8	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	14''
9	JORDI WARLOP	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	16''
10	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
11	WARREN BARGUIL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
12	LILIAN CALMEJANE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
13	QUENTIN PACHER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
14	ARITZ BAGUES	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
15	ENRICO GASPAROTTO	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
16	DIMITRI PEYSKENS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
17	PREBEN VAN HECKE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
18	KIM MAGNUSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
19	REIN TAARAMÄE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
20	BRANDON MCNULTY	RALLY UHC	s.t.
21	LUCAS ERIKSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
22	FRANCK BONNAMOUR	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
23	FLORIS DE TIER	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
24	SINDRE SKJØSTAD LUNKE	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
25	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
26	MAURO FINETTO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
27	STEPHEN CUMMINGS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
28	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	22''
29	PASCAL EENKHOORN	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	48''
30	DANNY VAN POPPEL	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	2' 25''
31	JONATHAN HIVERT	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	3' 18''
32	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	5' 39''
33	LOIC CHETOUT	COFIDIS	6' 11''
34	BRYAN COQUARD	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	16' 50''
35	TOBIAS MØRCH KONGSTAD	RIWAL READYNEZ	16' 54''
36	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	16' 57''
37	TOM VAN ASBROECK	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	16' 59''
38	NATHAN HAAS	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	17' 00''
39	CHRISTOPHE NOPPE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
40	AUGUST JENSEN	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
41	MADS SCHMIDT WÜRTZ	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
42	RASMUS BØGH WALLIN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
43	THIMO WILLEMS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
44	JONAS IVERSBY HVIDEBERG	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
45	EMILS LIEPINS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
46	ADAM DE VOS	RALLY UHC	s.t.
47	BERNHARD EISEL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
48	TROND HÅKON TRONDSEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
49	OLAV HJEMSÆTER	TEAM COOP	s.t.
50	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	s.t.
51	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
52	TOM WIRTGEN	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
53	JOSE VIEJO	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
54	JÉRÉMY LECROQ	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
55	JURI HOLLMANN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
56	KEVIN LEDANOIS	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
57	LOUIS BENDIXEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
58	CONNOR SWIFT	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
59	DANILO WYSS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
60	JONAS GREGAARD WILSLY	ASTANA	s.t.
61	KRISTOFFER SKJERPING	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
62	DMITRII STRAKHOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
63	HERMAN DAHL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
64	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
65	GUY SAGIV	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
66	SONDRE ENGER	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
67	KRISTIAN KULSET	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
68	OTTO VERGAERDE	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
69	ERLEND JORDBREKK BLIKRA	TEAM COOP	s.t.
70	COLIN JOYCE	RALLY UHC	s.t.
71	BJØRN TORE HOEM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
72	ENZO BERNARD	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
73	KENNY MOLLY	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
74	YURIY NATAROV	ASTANA	s.t.
75	MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
76	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
77	JULIEN MORTIER	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
78	DANIIL FOMINYKH	ASTANA	s.t.
79	KRISTER HAGEN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
80	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
81	FREDERIK BACKAERT	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
82	BRYAN NAULEAU	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
83	YOANN OFFREDO	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
84	ØIVIND LUKKEDAL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
85	JULEN IRIZAR	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
86	KRISTIAN AASVOLD	TEAM COOP	s.t.
87	FABIEN GRELLIER	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
88	PATRICK MÜLLER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
89	ANDER BARRENETXEA	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
90	KEVYN ISTA	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
91	SIMON CARR	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
92	ALESSANDRO FEDELI	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
93	PIT LEYDER	COFIDIS	s.t.
94	EMMANUEL MORIN	COFIDIS	s.t.
95	RYAN ANDERSON	RALLY UHC	s.t.
96	MAXIME BOUET	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
97	HÅKON LUNDER AALRUST	TEAM COOP	s.t.
98	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
99	ANDREAS VANGSTAD	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
100	ALAN RIOU	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
101	LOÏC VLIEGEN	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
102	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
103	JIMMY JANSSENS	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
104	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	17' 15''
105	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
106	HENRIK EVENSEN	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	17' 19''
107	SVEIN TUFT	RALLY UHC	17' 22''
108	KEVIN REZA	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	17' 27''
109	THOMAS LEEZER	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	17' 35''
110	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN	CORENDON-CIRCUS	18' 06''
111	JOHAN LE BON	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
112	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN	TEAM JUMBO-VISMA	18' 19''
113	LARS SAUGSTAD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	18' 44''
114	DRIES DE BONDT	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
115	AKSEL FISCHER AASHEIM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	24' 22''
116	STIJN DEVOLDER	CORENDON-CIRCUS	28' 01''
117	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.

---

Thursday, August 15: Stage 1, Å - Leknes, 181 km

Mathieu van der Poel wins stage one.

Weather at the finish city of Leknes at 1:22 PM local time: 13C (55F), mostly cloudy, with the wind from the west at 14 km/hr (9 mph). 10% chance of rain.

The race: Here's the organizer's stage one summary.

Mathieu van der Poel continued his winning streak in road racing… four months after he last competed and bagged the Amstel Gold Race. The Dutchman powered to victory from a 33-man leading group that contested stage 1 of the Arctic Race of Norway in a very competitive mode at the front. His switch from mountain-biking has been impressive again.

The strong motivation of Norwegian champion Groendahl Jansen:
119 riders started stage 1 of the 7th Arctic Race of Norway at 13.39 in Å. Despite many skirmishes after the flag off, no breakaway managed to take shape until Jonas Hvideberg (Uno-X Norwegian Development Team), Adam De Vos (Rally UHC) and Otto Vergaerde (Corendon-Circus) took off after 25km of racing. Crosswinds gave ideas to ambitious riders like Astana’s Magnus Cort and Norwegian national champion Amund Groendahl Jansen of Jumbo-Visma. Their actions put an end the adventure of the leading trio. Groendahl Jansen attacked again before the first intermediate sprint and won it on the first passage onto the finishing line in Leknes ahead of last year’s runner up Markus Hoelgaard (Uno-X Norwegian Development Team) and Kazakh national champion Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) after 59.5km of racing, including 48.36km covered in the first hour.

33 riders at the front, including Van der Poel, Barguil, Lutsenko and Taaramäe:
It was all together when Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data) passed first atop the 2nd category KOM at km 64 but the Englishman’s acceleration led to the formation of a 33-man leading group that included most of the GC favourites: Lutsenko, Hugo Houle and Cort (Astana), Hoelgaard (Uno-X Norwegian Development Team), Brendan McNulty (Rally UHC), Cummings and Enrico Gasparotto (Dimension Data), Warren Barguil and Franck Bonnamour (Arkéa-Samsic), Ilnur Zakarin and Pavel Kotchekov (Katusha-Alpecin), Rein Taaramäe, Jonathan Hivert and Lilian Calmejane (Total Direct Energie), Amund Groendahl Jansen, Floris De Tier, Pascal Eenkhorn and Danny van Poppel (Jumbo-Visma), Krists Neilands (Israel Cycling Academy), Benjamin De Clercq, Preben Van Hecke and Jordi Warlop (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus), Quentin Pacher (Vital Concept-B&B Hôtels), Christophe Laporte and Loïc Chetout (Cofidis), Andrea Pasqualon (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Mauro Finetto (Delko Marseille), Dimitri Peyskens (Wallonie-Bruxelles), Sindre Lunke, Lucas Eriksson and Kim Magnusson (Riwal Readynez) and Artiz Bagues (Euskadi-Murias). Vital Concept was the unhappiest team with the composition of the first split so they pulled the peloton for their sprinter Bryan Coquard. Having missed the move, Team Coop and Joker Fuel of Norway also took turns at the head of the peloton. They maintained the gap under 1’20’’ and brought it down to less than 50’’ but they surrendered with 40km to go.

Cruel end for Cummings:
Lutsenko put the hammer down with 27km remaining. He crossed the finishing line first with a little advantage with 24.5km to go and that was another three seconds of time bonus under his belt before Hoelgaard got two more ahead of Pasqualon. Calmejane, Eenkhorn and Cummings made it across to the Kazakh rider. It enabled Cummings to extend his lead in the King of the Mountains competition. The 33 leaders were all together again 14km before the end. Lutsenko won the last intermediate sprint with 10.5km remaining, ahead of Cort and Neilands. Barguil, Cort and De Tier reacted to Cummings’ attack with 8.5km to go. Hoelgaard rode across to the quartet, so did Groendahl Jansen and it was up to Van der Poel to bring the attackers back. But Cummings went again solo with less than 5km to cover. He stayed ahead until 50 metres to go when Van der Poel passed him in a powerful winning sprint ahead of Van Poppel and Pasqualon.

Complete results:

181 kilometers raced at an average speed of 48.217 km/hr

1	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	CORENDON-CIRCUS	3hr 45min 14sec
2	DANNY VAN POPPEL	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
3	ANDREA PASQUALON	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
4	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
5	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
6	JORDI WARLOP	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
7	ENRICO GASPAROTTO	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
8	MARKUS HOELGAARD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
9	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA	s.t.
10	FRANCK BONNAMOUR	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
11	DIMITRI PEYSKENS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
12	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	s.t.
13	QUENTIN PACHER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
14	LILIAN CALMEJANE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
15	LUCAS ERIKSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
16	ARITZ BAGUES	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
17	KIM MAGNUSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
18	WARREN BARGUIL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
19	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
20	BRANDON MCNULTY	RALLY UHC	s.t.
21	PREBEN VAN HECKE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
22	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
23	REIN TAARAMÄE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
24	SINDRE SKJØSTAD LUNKE	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
25	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
26	FLORIS DE TIER	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
27	STEPHEN CUMMINGS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
28	MAURO FINETTO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
29	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	@ 6sec
30	PASCAL EENKHOORN	JUMBO-VISMA	32''
31	JONATHAN HIVERT	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	3' 02''
32	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	5' 23''
33	LOIC CHETOUT	COFIDIS	s.t.
34	MADS SCHMIDT WÜRTZ	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	16' 44''
35	JONAS GREGAARD WILSLY	ASTANA	s.t.
36	MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
37	KRISTIAN KULSET	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
38	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
39	DANILO WYSS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
40	JONAS IVERSBY HVIDEBERG	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
41	NATHAN HAAS	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
42	CHRISTOPHE NOPPE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
43	THIMO WILLEMS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
44	RASMUS BØGH WALLIN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
45	STIJN DEVOLDER	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
46	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
47	ADAM DE VOS	RALLY UHC	s.t.
48	JULIEN MORTIER	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
49	DMITRII STRAKHOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
50	HENRIK EVENSEN	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
51	TOBIAS MØRCH KONGSTAD	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
52	YURIY NATAROV	ASTANA	s.t.
53	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
54	KRISTOFFER SKJERPING	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
55	ENZO BERNARD	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
56	AUGUST JENSEN	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
57	BRYAN NAULEAU	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
58	JURI HOLLMANN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
59	KEVIN LEDANOIS	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
60	PATRICK MÜLLER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
61	KEVIN REZA	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
62	JÉRÉMY LECROQ	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
63	DANIIL FOMINYKH	ASTANA	s.t.
64	TROND HÅKON TRONDSEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
65	TOM WIRTGEN	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
66	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
67	BERNHARD EISEL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
68	GUY SAGIV	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
69	BJØRN TORE HOEM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
70	EMILS LIEPINS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
71	SIMON CARR	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
72	KRISTIAN AASVOLD	TEAM COOP	s.t.
73	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	s.t.
74	CONNOR SWIFT	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
75	FABIEN GRELLIER	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
76	EMMANUEL MORIN	COFIDIS	s.t.
77	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
78	KRISTER HAGEN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
79	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
80	PIT LEYDER	COFIDIS	s.t.
81	KENNY MOLLY	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
82	OLAV HJEMSÆTER	TEAM COOP	s.t.
83	JOSE DANIEL VIEJO	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
84	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
85	JOHAN LE BON	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
86	ALESSANDRO FEDELI	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
87	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
88	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
89	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
90	JULEN IRIZAR	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
91	ANDER BARRENETXEA	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
92	THOMAS LEEZER	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
93	ALAN RIOU	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
94	TOM VAN ASBROECK	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
95	ØIVIND LUKKEDAL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
96	YOANN OFFREDO	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
97	MAXIME BOUET	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
98	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
99	FREDERIK BACKAERT	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
100	LARS SAUGSTAD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
101	LOUIS BENDIXEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
102	HÅKON LUNDER AALRUST	TEAM COOP	s.t.
103	LOÏC VLIEGEN	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
104	BRYAN COQUARD	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
105	OTTO VERGAERDE	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
106	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
107	KEVYN ISTA	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
108	SONDRE ENGER	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
109	ANDREAS VANGSTAD	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
110	HERMAN DAHL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
111	JIMMY JANSSENS	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
112	RYAN ANDERSON	RALLY UHC	s.t.
113	SVEIN TUFT	RALLY UHC	s.t.
114	COLIN JOYCE	RALLY UHC	s.t.
115	ERLEND JORDBREKK BLIKRA	TEAM COOP	s.t.
116	DRIES DE BONDT	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
117	AKSEL FISCHER AASHEIM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	24' 06''

GC after stage 1:

1	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	CORENDON-CIRCUS	3hr 45min 4sec
2	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA	@ 3sec
3	DANNY VAN POPPEL	JUMBO-VISMA	04''
4	ANDREA PASQUALON	WANTY-GOBERT	05''
5	MARKUS HOELGAARD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	06''
6	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN	JUMBO-VISMA	07''
7	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	08''
8	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	09''
9	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	10''
10	JORDI WARLOP	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
11	ENRICO GASPAROTTO	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
12	FRANCK BONNAMOUR	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
13	DIMITRI PEYSKENS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
14	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	s.t.
15	QUENTIN PACHER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
16	LILIAN CALMEJANE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
17	LUCAS ERIKSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
18	ARITZ BAGUES	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
19	KIM MAGNUSSON	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
20	WARREN BARGUIL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
21	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
22	BRANDON MCNULTY	RALLY UHC	s.t.
23	PREBEN VAN HECKE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
24	REIN TAARAMÄE	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
25	SINDRE SKJØSTAD LUNKE	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
26	FLORIS DE TIER	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
27	STEPHEN CUMMINGS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
28	MAURO FINETTO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
29	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	16''
30	PASCAL EENKHOORN	JUMBO-VISMA	42''
31	JONATHAN HIVERT	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	3' 12''
32	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	5' 33''
33	LOIC CHETOUT	COFIDIS	s.t.
34	MADS SCHMIDT WÜRTZ	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	16' 54''
35	JONAS GREGAARD WILSLY	ASTANA	s.t.
36	MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
37	KRISTIAN KULSET	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
38	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
39	DANILO WYSS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
40	JONAS IVERSBY HVIDEBERG	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
41	NATHAN HAAS	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
42	CHRISTOPHE NOPPE	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
43	THIMO WILLEMS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
44	RASMUS BØGH WALLIN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
45	STIJN DEVOLDER	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
46	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
47	ADAM DE VOS	RALLY UHC	s.t.
48	JULIEN MORTIER	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
49	DMITRII STRAKHOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
50	HENRIK EVENSEN	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
51	TOBIAS MØRCH KONGSTAD	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
52	YURIY NATAROV	ASTANA	s.t.
53	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
54	KRISTOFFER SKJERPING	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
55	ENZO BERNARD	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
56	AUGUST JENSEN	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
57	BRYAN NAULEAU	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
58	JURI HOLLMANN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
59	KEVIN LEDANOIS	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
60	PATRICK MÜLLER	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
61	KEVIN REZA	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
62	JÉRÉMY LECROQ	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
63	DANIIL FOMINYKH	ASTANA	s.t.
64	TROND HÅKON TRONDSEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
65	TOM WIRTGEN	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
66	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
67	BERNHARD EISEL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
68	GUY SAGIV	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
69	BJØRN TORE HOEM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
70	EMILS LIEPINS	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
71	SIMON CARR	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
72	KRISTIAN AASVOLD	TEAM COOP	s.t.
73	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	s.t.
74	CONNOR SWIFT	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
75	FABIEN GRELLIER	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
76	EMMANUEL MORIN	COFIDIS	s.t.
77	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
78	KRISTER HAGEN	RIWAL READYNEZ	s.t.
79	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
80	PIT LEYDER	COFIDIS	s.t.
81	KENNY MOLLY	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
82	OLAV HJEMSÆTER	TEAM COOP	s.t.
83	JOSE DANIEL VIEJO	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
84	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
85	JOHAN LE BON	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
86	ALESSANDRO FEDELI	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
87	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
88	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
89	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
90	JULEN IRIZAR	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
91	ANDER BARRENETXEA	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS	s.t.
92	THOMAS LEEZER	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
93	ALAN RIOU	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
94	TOM VAN ASBROECK	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
95	ØIVIND LUKKEDAL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
96	YOANN OFFREDO	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
97	MAXIME BOUET	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
98	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
99	FREDERIK BACKAERT	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
100	LARS SAUGSTAD	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT	s.t.
101	LOUIS BENDIXEN	TEAM COOP	s.t.
102	HÅKON LUNDER AALRUST	TEAM COOP	s.t.
103	LOÏC VLIEGEN	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
104	BRYAN COQUARD	VITAL CONCEPT-B&B HOTELS	s.t.
105	OTTO VERGAERDE	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
106	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
107	KEVYN ISTA	WALLONIE BRUXELLES	s.t.
108	SONDRE ENGER	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY	s.t.
109	ANDREAS VANGSTAD	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
110	HERMAN DAHL	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	s.t.
111	JIMMY JANSSENS	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
112	RYAN ANDERSON	RALLY UHC	s.t.
113	SVEIN TUFT	RALLY UHC	s.t.
114	COLIN JOYCE	RALLY UHC	s.t.
115	ERLEND JORDBREKK BLIKRA	TEAM COOP	s.t.
116	DRIES DE BONDT	CORENDON-CIRCUS	s.t.
117	AKSEL FISCHER AASHEIM	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY	24' 16''

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Start list with back numbers, August 14, 2019:

	ASTANA PRO TEAM
1	ALEXEY LUTSENKO
2	DANIIL FOMINYKH
3	JONAS GREGAARD WILSLY
4	HUGO HOULE
5	YURIY NATAROV
6	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN
	UNO-X NORWEGIAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM
11	MARKUS HOELGAARD
12	JONAS IVERSBY HVIDEBERG
13	KRISTIAN KULSET
14	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL
15	LARS SAUGSTAD
16	KRISTOFFER SKJERPING
	RALLY UHC CYCLING
21	COLIN JOYCE
22	RYAN ANDERSON
23	ROBIN CARPENTER
24	ADAM DE VOS
25	BRANDON MCNULTY
26	SVEIN TUFT
	TEAM DIMENSION DATA
31	DANILO WYSS
32	STEPHEN CUMMINGS
33	BERNHARD EISEL
34	ENRICO GASPAROTTO
35	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER
36	JAY ROBERT THOMSON
	TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC
41	WARREN BARGUIL
42	FRANCK BONNAMOUR
43	MAXIME BOUET
44	KEVIN LEDANOIS
45	ALAN RIOU
46	CONNOR SWIFT
	TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN
51	ILNUR ZAKARIN
52	NATHAN HAAS
53	JURI HOLLMANN
54	PAVEL KOCHETKOV
55	MADS SCHMIDT WÜRTZ
56	DMITRII STRAKHOV
	TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE
61	REIN TAARAMÄE
62	ENZO BERNARD
63	LILIAN CALMEJANE
64	FABIEN GRELLIER
65	JONATHAN HIVERT
66	BRYAN NAULEAU
	TEAM JUMBO - VISMA
71	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN
72	FLORIS DE TIER
73	PASCAL EENKHOORN
74	THOMAS LEEZER
75	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN
76	DANNY VAN POPPEL
	JOKER FUEL OF NORWAY
81	BJØRN TORE HOEM
82	AKSEL FISCHER AASHEIM
83	HERMAN DAHL
84	HENRIK EVENSEN
85	ØIVIND LUKKEDAL
86	ANDREAS VANGSTAD
	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
91	KRISTS NEILANDS
92	SONDRE ENGER
93	AUGUST JENSEN
94	GUY SAGIV
95	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI
96	TOM VAN ASBROECK
	SPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE
101	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ
102	CHRISTOPHE NOPPE
103	MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL
104	PREBEN VAN HECKE
105	JORDI WARLOP
106	THIMO WILLEMS
	CORENDON - CIRCUS
111	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL
112	DRIES DE BONDT
113	STIJN DEVOLDER
114	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN
115	JIMMY JANSSENS
116	OTTO VERGAERDE
	VITAL CONCEPT - B&B HOTELS
121	BRYAN COQUARD
122	JOHAN LE BON
123	JÉRÉMY LECROQ
124	PATRICK MÜLLER
125	QUENTIN PACHER
126	KEVIN REZA
	TEAM COOP
131	TROND HÅKON TRONDSEN
132	HÅKON LUNDER AALRUST
133	KRISTIAN AASVOLD
134	LOUIS BENDIXEN
135	ERLEND JORDBREKK BLIKRA
136	OLAV HJEMSÆTER
	COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
141	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE
142	LOIC CHETOUT
143	CYRIL LEMOINE
144	PIT LEYDER
145	EMMANUEL MORIN
146	BERT VAN LERBERGHE
	WANTY - GOBERT CYCLING TEAM
151	LOÏC VLIEGEN
152	FREDERIK BACKAERT
153	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING
154	YOANN OFFREDO
155	ANDREA PASQUALON
156	KEVIN VAN MELSEN
	DELKO MARSEILLE PROVENCE
161	ROMAIN COMBAUD
162	SIMON CARR
163	ALESSANDRO FEDELI
164	MAURO FINETTO
165	BRENTON JONES
166	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ
	WALLONIE BRUXELLES
171	EMILS LIEPINS
172	KEVYN ISTA
173	KENNY MOLLY
174	JULIEN MORTIER
175	DIMITRI PEYSKENS
176	TOM WIRTGEN
	RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM
181	SINDRE SKJØSTAD LUNKE
182	LUCAS ERIKSSON
183	KRISTER HAGEN
184	KIM MAGNUSSON
185	TOBIAS MØRCH KONGSTAD
186	RASMUS BØGH WALLIN
	EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY - MURIAS
191	BEÑAT INTXAUSTI ELORRIAGA
192	ARITZ BAGUES KALPARSORO
193	ANDER BARRENETXEA URIARTE
195	JULEN IRIZAR LASKURAIN
196	JOSE DANIEL VIEJO REDONDO

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Organizer's race preview:

The Arctic Race of Norway is a suspense-filled race where the young stars shine each year. In 2018, Dutch rider Mathieu Van Der Poel (Corendon-Circus) won two stages and confirmed all the hopes that have been placed on him on the road. This year again, the fast and powerful riders will get to show their stuff on two weekend stages. Prior to that, the peloton will visit the Lofoten Islands where the sprinters will battle for victory.

For the second time in seven editions, the Arctic Race of Norway will take place on the Lofoten Islands, known around the world for their atypical scenery where the roads run between the mountains and the sea. The town of “Å” will, for the first time, host a stage of the Arctic Race on Thursday, August 15. This small village with such an original name (the final letter in the Norwegian alphabet!) is also called this because it is here where the last inhabitants on the extreme west side of the island live. Over 182 kilometres, the peloton will pass the finish line twice to complete the two loops. Although four classified climbs will be part of the King of the Mountain classification, this won’t inhibit the sprinters from battling for the win at Leknes.

On day two of the race, the riders will, once again, look to both their left and right to admire the stunning Lofoten Islands scenery. Henningsvær is known for having one of the most spectacular football pitches in the world as well as being the start city for stage two, which will finish in Svolvær, and which was featured in the first edition in 2013. The 168.5km-long stage will run along the seafront and will not pose any major difficulties. It will be the ideal finish for sprinters like local hero Alexander Kristoff!

Following the Lofotens, the Arctic Race will change islands to arrive in Vesterålen on Saturday 17 August. This 176.5km-long stage starting in Sortland was designed for the strongest riders with three climbs that will have to be negotiated before the riders take on an all-new ramp at Storheia Summit, in the town of Melbu (3.5kms at 11.8%). A crazy finish similar to the famous “repechos” of the Vuelta a España that will start just a week later and could be of interest to some riders looking for performance on the final big tour of the season. At the highest altitude, the caravan will have the chance to admire the splendid panoramic view at the observation level that reminds one of a certain Mont Ventoux.

The Arctic Race of Norway will return to the mainland for the final stage that has the look of a rollercoaster between Lodingen and Narvik. While the start city will be all-new, all the roads of this 4th stage (166.5kms) have already been raced on in the Arctic Race. During this stage, the “Midnight Sun Jersey” of the leader of the general classification and the “Salmon Jersey” of the best climber could switch riders because there will be six climbs, three before the final 10.5km circuit then three others (Skistua Summit: 2.2kms at 6.6%) located on the same circuit where Dylan Teuns took a memorable win in 2017. The Narvik ski station will conclude this 7th edition at the bottom of the slopes.  The town is bidding to become the Norwegian candidate to host the 2027 World Alpine Skiing Championships.

The Arctic Race of Norway shines the spotlight on the stars of tomorrow
A few hours before the arrival of the professionals in the streets of Narvik, the 17 and 18-year old talents coming from all over Norway and five European countries will have their moment in the sun in the Arctic Heroes of Tomorrow Race. This race for junior riders organised jointly with Equinor, the main sponsor of the Arctic Race of Norway, and the Norwegian Cycling Federation, has become the revelatory event of the future stars of the men’s and women’s pelotons in a country whose passion for cycling is well-known. Winner of the first edition of the Arctic Heroes of Tomorrow Race in 2013 in Harstad, Kristoffer Halvorsen won the World Junior Road Race Championship in 2016, before joining the Sky team this season.

Thor Hushovd, World Champion and race ambassador: “This 7th edition of the Arctic Race of Norway will again be spectacular and undecided just until the last day in Narvik. The first two stages will be an open-air show. In 2013 when I won stage 2 at Svolvær, I rode the most beautiful stage of my career on that day. The finishes at Storheia Summit, the «Mont Ventoux» of the Vesterålen Islands and at Narvik will certainly be won by the strongest riders.”