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Kristoff strikes first in Arctic Race of Norway

Two Norwegian favourites were one-two on the podium of Thursday's first stage of the Arctic Race of Norway, an event held entirely within the Arctic Circle.

August 13, 2015
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Two Norwegian favourites were one-two on the podium of Thursday’s first stage of the Arctic Race of Norway, an event held entirely within the Arctic Circle. Alexander Kristoff of Katusha, double stage winner and points competition champion last season, beat Edvald Boasson Hagen (MTN-Qhubeka) in Harsted to pull on the first blue and orange leader’s jersey.

Seven riders escaped early in the stage and had rolled up a 7:00 lead by the time Team Coop-ØsterHus’s Haavard Blikra took the first intermediate sprint at the 40-km mark. Blikra would also nab the second intermediate sprint with the MTN-Qhubeka, Lampre and Katusha-led peloton closing in with 26-km remaining. In between the intermediate sprints, Joker’s Vegard Stake Laengen summited the Balteskardet climb and the second categorized climb in the lead.

Stake Laengen and FixIT.no’s Marius Andre Hafsäs were the last escapees to surrender with 6-km remaining, but a few moves tried to get away before Bora-Argon 18 and UnitedHealthcare brought the race back together. Katusha and MTN-Qhubeka took over the front leading the bunch to the finish in Harsted where Kristoff outkicked Boasson Hagen.

Blikra’s efforts couldn’t get him the green points jersey, but Stake Laengen will wear the first red climber’s jersey.

Friday’s 162.5-km stage from Evenskjer to Setermoen is another one for the sprinter’s.

2015 Arctic Tour of Norway
1) Alexander Kristoff (Norway/Katusha) 4:58:26
2) Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway/MTN-Qhubeka) +0:04
3) Sam Bennett (Ireland/Bora-Argon 18) +0:06