Arctic Race of Norway Preview
With the success of the 2013 edition of the Arctic Race of Norway which saw 150 000 spectators line the street, the 2014 edition is set to begin August 14th and run through until August 17th. The four stage race will travel approximately 400km further north than it did last year.
The majority of stages are best suited for the peleton’s strong and fast finishers. Stage  one will begin in a town with perhaps the most suitable name for a bike race, Hammerfest. Riders will venture 200km north-east and finish on the North Cape in Nordkapp. Without any major climbs, fans can expect a fast and flat sprint.
The second stage will begin in Honningsvag and finish in Alta which is again predominantly flat, although the race could face some vicious winds that could force several splits in the peloton.
The third and perhaps most difficult stage given the parcours  begins in Alta and finishes in Kvænangsfjellet. The finale will feature a summit finish that will almost certainly drastically change the of the overall standings of the race. In all likelihood it could determine the overall winner.
The final stage is again a race for the sprinters. It begins and ends in Tromsø.
It is expected that Norway’s Tour de France stars past and present Thor Hushovd (BMC) and Alexandre Kristof (Team Ketusha) will compete.
Complete information, start lists and stage profiles can be found at the Arctic Race of Norway.
