Kristoff wins opening stage at Arctic Race of Norway

ROGNAN, Norway—A day after retired Norwegian cycling great and former world champion Thor Hushovd greeted the public at the opening ceremonies in Bodø, the Arctic Race of Norway (2.HC) kicked off on Thursday, August 11, with compatriot Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha) claiming the stage 1 victory in Rognan.

With 11 WorldTour teams among the 22 squads on the start, the race’s fourth edition features an impressive lineup with three of the previous Milan San-Remo (1.UWT) winners, including Kristoff (2014) and stage 1 runner up and John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin).

Joining Kristoff, Degenkolb and 2016 MSR winner Arnaud Démare (FDJ), are two recent Rio Olympians, including Kristoff’s teammate and defending race winner Rein Taaramäe (EST), as well as 2012 world champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) of Belgium.

“I was bit lucky because at the end because I lost my teammates,” explained Kristoff, who won the points classification last year after finishing second overall in 2014. “I got on the wheel of Degenkolb and he timed the sprint perfectly. Luckily for me, he had some technical issues at the end with his gears jumping, so I managed to pass him.

“I think I would have actually had trouble passing him if he was having a smooth sprint, so today I was really lucky and I’m happy with the win.”

The 2012 Olympic bronze medalist enters the race with only one week of training after suffering from an illness following a winless Tour de France campaign in July.

“This is the first race for me after the Tour,” said Kristoff. “I did not manage to win at the Tour even though I was very close a few days, so I hope my luck has turned for a good last half of the season.”

On the day, six riders immediately launched a break from the start of the 180.5-kilometre road race in Fauske. The group, which included Maxime Cam (Fortuneo-Vital Concept), Gregory Rast (Trek-Segafredo), Max Emil Kørner (Ringeriks-Kraft), Kenny de Ketele (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Krister Hagan (Coop-Oster Hus) and Tom Van Asbroeck (LottoNL-Jumbo), extended it’s time gap to nearly seven minutes before the peloton reeled them in following the last climb to close the first stage in a bunch sprint.

“The first stage is always a good chance for the breakaway to stay away,” said Asbroeck (BEL), who ended the day in the salmon jersey atop the mountains classification after taking max points (3 each) on the first two KOMs and an additional point on the third. “In the beginning everything looked good, but the last climb the peloton was coming way too fast and we had to do the whole day full gas, so it wasn’t easy.”

With with the win, Kristoff becomes the first race leader to don the blue jersey (with orange stripe) in what is expected to be the first of three sprint finishes in the four-day road race. General classification could be decided on stage 3’s hilltop finish in Korgfjellet on Saturday.

“Rein won here last year and is a bit better suited for stage 3,” The 29-year-old Kristoff told Eurosport. “But I will try to win another stage again tomorrow and the last stage.

“I will try to minimize my losses on stage 3, and if there’s a headwind on the climb then it’s possible for me to hold on to it, but I will need to be very lucky.”

Stage 1 Classification

1. Alexander Kristoff, NOR, Team Katusha, 4:10:02

2. John Degenkolb, GER, Giant-Alpecin s.t.

3. Danny van Poppel, NED, Team Sky, s.t.

General Classification

1. Alexander Kristoff, NOR, Team Katusha, 4:09:52

2. Gregory Rast, SUI, Trek-Segafredo, 0:03

3. John Degenkolb, GER, Giant-Alpecin, 0:04

Classification Leaders

Race Leader (Blue Jersey): Alexander Kristoff, NOR, Team Katusha

Points Leader (Green Jersey): Alexander Kristoff, NOR, Team Katusha

Mountains leader (Salmon Jersey): Tom van Asbroeck, BEL, LottoNL-Jumbo

Best Young Rider (White Jersey): Danny van Poppel, NED, Team Sky

Teams classification: Team Sky, 12:30:06