Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) made an all-out attack in a final attempt to take the overall victory on the final stage of the Tour of Norway. The Norwegian held off the peloton which was led to the finish by Sondre Holst Enger (Norway) and August Jensen (Coop) but Pieter Weening (Roompot) limited his losses to take the final win. Boasson Hagen and Enger made it two Norwegian riders on the podium.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Pieter Weening feared that motorcycle would cost him the overall victory in Norway

Pieter Weening has given Roompot - Orange Peloton its first victory in an international stage race. Weening won the yellow jersey after his victory in the second stage and retained the top position in the ranking until the final stage to Sarpsborg.

 

"It was a bit exciting when Hagen went on the attack in the finale. But fortunately I had enough of a gap to keep the lead,” said Weening afterwards.

 

 Partly due to a puncture of his domesique Huub Duijn in the finale, Weening had to respond himself.

 

"I was there to work but I knew I had a gap. It was never a matter of seconds.

 

“I almost feared that I could lose the win when I saw the motorcycle lying five meters ahead of Edvald. Then you think that he might get some help from fellow countrymen. It is not nice. But I made it in the end, fortunately, so I will not talk more about it,” he told TV2.

 

”We used up a lot of riders before the final. We have sacrificed a lot all week. In the end we ran out of riders. However, everything was under control. I could not give him 30 seconds. But we knew the finish was close and when the peloton accelerates, it goes very fast.

 

”All victories are special.  This is an overall win and it's even more special.This is a great day for the team as well. We are pleased with the whole week.”

 

Weening’s attack on the climb of the snowy Flisetjonnskaret and great descent to Rjukan on Thursday  together with the hard work of his five teammates in the days after the stage win laid the foundations for the win. 

 

"For the team, I am really happy," sports director Jean-Paul van Poppel said."Everyone has worked hard and sacrificed himself to defend Pieter’s leader's jersey. Especially Ivar Slik has done a lot of work. That boy has grown as a rider and has done many kilometers on the front.

 

Besides the yellow jersey Weening wore the green points jersey and he was the leader in the points classification. He was fourth in stage 3. 

 

"I had to mainly deal with many Norwegian rivals and they can always do something extra in their home country but this kind of race has always been good for me,” said Weening who took his second stage race win after the Tour of Poland in 2013.

 

“It is especially nice that the team gets a boost. These young riders have really punched above their weight.”

 

Edvald Boasson Hagen: At least I am glad I got the stage win

Edvald Boasson Hagen made it two out of two when he won the final stage of the Tour of Norway earlier today.

 

Roompot started the intial chase and then it was Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka and the Team Norway riders who came to assist. Adrien Niyonshuti did an incredible job once again, pulling on the front for most of the stage.

 

The stage ended with 3 laps of a really tough circuit which included a hard 1.5km climb. Boasson Hagen had come to see the circuit a few weeks ago and so the team went into the stage with a clear plan. The break was caught as expected and the stage would be decided on the final circuit. The African Team did a great job once again to keep Boasson Hagen in prime position for the start the all-important final climb.

 

Boasson Hagen accelerated away from the group on the descent and never looked back. With 6.5km to go to the line, he totally emptied the tank and it was enough, as he crossed the line 8 seconds ahead of a charging peloton. The result also saw Boasson Hagen finish the race in 2nd position overall.
 

He said:

 

“It was a good day. We had control over the break and the team did really well, always being in front with me. Towards the end I tried to attack and I managed to stay away which I am really happy about but the team did really well so I am very happy. I had come to see the circuit before so I knew all the corners and it was really wet today so I knew where I could go really fast. It was nice to know about the circuit beforehand.”

”This was amazing. It was very slipperi and technical. But then I saw there was an opportunity to get a gap there. Tobias Foss rode very fast ine the corners ther so then I thought that it might be possible for me too. So I just went full gas,” Boasson Hagen told TV2.

- I had a victory yesterday and wanted one today too. It was not planned, because I was going to go for the sprint. But I was near the front and thought I would try.

 

”It was the only opportunity to try to gain time on GC. I am very glad that I at least got a stage win. I do not know if I was able to move into 2nd place too, but at least that was the goal.

 

“I know I will get better for the Tour de France, and I hope it goes that way. I hope to have some momentum going.

 

Sports director Oli Cookson added:
 

“The team were fantastic today once again. All the guys did a great job and Eddy finished it off with a great ride. It was really special to do it in front of his home crowd as well. It has been a great week for us here in Norway, the riders and staff all worked incredibly hard and well together so we are really happy with our performance here.”

 

 

Another second place for consistent Sondre Holst Enger in Norway

”Edvald is very smart. It was very smart that he did, but it was a shame that I could not catch him, Holst Enger told TV2.

 

“I think most panicked a bit when he went. I had hoped we had cooperated better when he attacked and brought him back right away. Then we could perhaps have made it. It was not that way. But I have to congratulate Edvald. He was strong today and a worthy winner.

 

“Generally speaking I'm very happy with this year's Tour of Norway. I have had many good podium finishes, he says.

 

“I got a second place today too. It's okay. It is a lot of nice second places. I have to step up to first place soon.

 

“The plan was that we should attack with me and Odd [Eiking],” his teammate Sven Erik Bystrøm told Procycling.no. “If we could be there with 10 riders, it would also have been better for Sondre. But I have to admire Edvald.  He is in good shape and riding very well.

 

”Sondre is very strong. He has had a good month now. He is alost on the podium in every race.”

 

“It's very nice to be on the national team, with the good old U23 gang. I know that I'm missing 20 percent of where I should be. With some rest after this, I will hopefully be good for the next races.”

 

Talented Norwegian hopes to turn pro after sprinting to the podium in Norway

August Jensen (Coop) sprinted to third place.

 

“I must say I'm pleased, he told procycling.no.

 

“At the line, I was unsure whether the break was caught. I was glad when I heard that I was third.

 

 

”For my part, it has been important to train enough. I have not done cycling for a long time so I needed a little time to build the engine.

 

”I have some fast fibers in the body from the past, but I do not think I work more on my sprint than my teammates.

 

“I've had done good sprints during the year, yes. Sometimes I struggle a bit with positioning. I was annoyed yesterday for example yesterday. It was fine with a revenge today. This was a finish that suited me better, with a climb to the finish.

 

”I hope it gets noticed. I really want to continue my career in cycling. You don’t have many years in an continental teams so I hope that someone will notice me. If I do not become a professional rider within a few years, I have more desire to do other things. I hope to move up one level and be a domestique for the bigger riders.”

 

Lots of top 10 results for Lotto Soudal in Norway

For Lotto Soudal, Tosh Van der Sande got fourth in that sprint, claiming the fifth place. The fifth place of Sander Armée in the general classification wasn’t endangered today, he’s fifth overall 57 seconds behind Weening. Armée achieved three top ten results this week: he was fifth in the second and third stage and eighth in the fourth stage.

 

Bora-Argon 18 climber back on track with 10 result in Norway

BORA – ARGON 18’s priority was to secure the 6th place of José Mendes in the GC. Therefore, the team did not take part in the early attacks. In the slightly uphill finish, BORA – ARGON 18 tried to support Michael Schwarzmann again, but in the frantic final, the first task was to bring José Mendes home safely and avoid losing any seconds in the GC. This task was fulfilled successfully, but Schwarzmann did not have the energy left to score another top result. Nevertheless, the team can be happy with a 6th place in the final general classification from José Mendes.

 

“I am really happy with this result after the problems I had at the start of the season. The team did a great job the whole week and I think we achieved the maximum. I really look forward to the next races, because I think I can still improve my shape,” said José Mendes.

 

“The team proved again today what they showed the whole week: real team spirit. The priority was to bring José safely home today. That worked out well. Also when Edvald attacked in the end and the peloton split, the guys brought back José to the first group. I think this may have cost a little too much energy to also fight for another stage result in the end. But I am really happy with the 6th place of José in the GC, he deserves to be back with the best again after his long illness at the start of the season,” said Christian Pömer, sports director.

 

Ducth climber shows his potential with top 10 finish in Norway

For Wanty, Marco Minnaard finished in 7th place in the general classification of the Tour of Norway.

 

He said:

 

"I'm quite happy with my result. Each day I tried to finish as close as possible to the winner because I was hoping that one rider would lose a few seconds. I would like to thank my team and my teammates for the confidence they put in me."

 

Topsport Vlaanderen in the top 10 at the Tour of Norway

For Topsport Vlaanderen, Eliot Lietaer returned from Norway with a nice eighth place in the final standings. Bert Van Lerberghe was eighth in the final stage. 

 

Lietaer’s 8th place was at risk yesterday. He crashed 15 kilometers from the finish but thanks to Thomas Sprengers and Bert Van Lerberghe he could regain his place in the group that lost 9 seconds in the finale and so he saved his top 10 spot.

 

Another top 10 result for consistent Pello Bilbao in Norway

Caja Rural - Seguros RGA kept fighting for glory until the very end of this year’s Tour of Norway. Lluis Mas, who came very close to winning stage 3, made another attempt on Sunday as he attacked on the final stage of the race. Mas and his sole breakaway companion kept the peloton at bay for a long time but with just 8 km left to go, the break was neutralized. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) then attacked and went solo to win the stage. Caja Rural - Seguros RGA’s Pello Bilbao finished safely in the peloton to secure his 9th place in the general classification. Pieter Weening (Roompot - Oranje Peloton) won the race overall.
 
Due to his strong performances during the race, Mas finished second in the KOM competition and fifth in the points classification. For the fourth year in a row, Caja Rural - Seguros RGA finished second overall in the team classification.

Sports director Eugenio Goikoetxea said: “The overall balance is good. We have fought hard every day and we finish the race with a top10 spot for Pello Bilbao. The downsides have been Fabricio Ferrari’s crash, which ruined his chances in the GC, and the stage where Lluis Mas almost took the win”.

 

Frustration for LottoNL-Jumbo and Van Asbroeck in Norway

LottoNL-Jumbo was unable to play a significant role in the last stage of the Tour of Norway today. The 163-kilometre stage was won by Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Dimension Data). Pieter Weening (Team Roompot) won the final ranking.

The last stage was ridden in very bad weather. After a fast start, eventually two riders managed to break away. The two built a good lead, the signal for Team LottoNL-Jumbo and Dimension Data, the team of Boasson Hagen, to close the gap.

"It was a very fast start," said Sports Director Merijn Zeeman. "After a difficult climb, six riders escaped but were caught again. Then two riders took off. We rode along with Dimension Data in the chase, but on the last climb in the stage, its leader Boasson Hagen attacked to grab the victory. "
 

"We worked for Tom Van Asbroeck but he almost crashed in the final sprint. The whole plan fell apart. That was really bad because the men worked terribly hard today. But he was lucky not to crash because the speed was very high. With this race in the legs, we can continue to improve."

 

Sep Vanmarcke didn’t start today. The classic specialist was not feeling quite well.

 

No result for Steele von Hoff on final day in Norway

ONE Pro Cycling were focusing on setting up stage one winner Steele Von Hoff for the sprint and as the race approached the finishing circuits in the town of Sarpsborg with 36km remaining Sebastian Lander moved towards the front to position von Hoff safely for the finishing laps.

 

Steele Von Hoff crossed the line in the top 20 after a good performance on a tough finishing circuit having been looked after well by the team.

 

”I have awesome team mates! They selflessly gave all for me today, unfortunately I had nothing left to sprint. #lovethisteam,” he tweeted after the stage.

 

Mads Pedersen wins mountains jersey at the Tour of Norway

Having taken the lead in the King of the Mountains classification on the way to winning stage 3, Mads Pedersen secured the classification on the final stage today under tough conditions in Norway. Pedersen took full points over the first climb of the day, before coming over the line safely in what was left of the peloton to make sure he took home the jersey for the team.

 

After a fast start, the Team Stölting Service Group riders made sure that nothing was getting clear on the approach to the first KOM after just 8.6km. On the slopes of the climb, Pedersen took off in pursuit of the points, cresting the climb first to put the jersey out of reach of those behind him in the classification as long as he finished the stage. Fabian Wegmann came over the top in third to make sure others didn’t score points as well.

 

 

The team was aiding the chase behind Edvald Boasson to try and help close the gap, and set up the sprint for Pedersen, but in the tough conditions and after five heavy stages the peloton wasn’t able to catch the Norwegian who took his second stage in two days.

 

Lennard Kämna was the first of the team to cross the line behind in 32nd, sealing 20th on GC, with Pedersen just behind in 39th safely in the wheels to secure the orange / salmon jersey of KOM leader. The jersey win seals a good week in Norway for the team, winning its first race of the season, Pedersen’s first professional victory.

 

After the stage, Pedersen said: “It was really nice to win the jersey for me and the team as it was our main goal to keep this after I got it the other day. The first mountain sprint came after 8km and I only had to look out for second place in the competition so I sat on his wheel and saw he was on the limit with 500m to go so went over the top and got the points I needed.

 

“It was really good team work today. We were thinking of preparing the sprint for me but I didn’t have the best legs at the end. We tried anyway but it got really nervous and crazy in the wet on the finish circuits. We didn’t want to take any big chances as we had already secured what we set out to do and so we eased back at the finish.”