Friday’s Stage 3 of the Tour of Norway served as the race’s queen stage and counted as the hardest ever stage at the race, according to organizers.

The 181.3-kilometer race included a Category 2 climb followed by an 11-km long Category 1 climb to Flisetjønn. To make things extra challenging, the temperatures at the summit hovered around freezing mixed with snow and strong winds.

The day’s main break was a five-man all Scandinavian group. They built a maximum gap of nearly 9 minutes but were caught near the base of the Flisetjønn. Immediately new attacks began, and an elite front group of climbers emerged. Jesper Hansen (Tinkoff-Saxo) reached the summit first and quickly increased his gap on the descent. Edvald Boasson Hagen (MTN-Qhubeka) made the most formidable chase, but Hansen held on to solo to the win.

“Zero degrees. It was incredible; we were riding in the snow. It is beautiful here but very, very cold,” Team Novo Nordisk’s Martijn Verschoor said. “We had a small uphill climb in the beginning, and I wanted to get in the break, but again I didn’t make it. It was a tough day but all our guys did really well.” 

Jesper Hansen (Tinkoff-Saxo) took the win 37 seconds ahead of Edvald Boasson Hagen (MTN-Qhubeka). Ivan Santaromita (Orica GreenEDGE) rounded out the podium.

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, continues racing at the Tour of Norway on Saturday with Stage 4. The 168.3-km race is another one for the climbers with the race covering two Category 1 climbs before a Category 2 summit finish in Geilo.