Marc De Maar headed into the Tour of Norway with a plan to contest the GC but got an unxpected advantage in yesterday's second stage that was expected to end in a bunch sprint. Seizing an opportunity at a moment of hesitation, he rode away with Maciej Paterski to take both the stage win and the yellow jersey and he has now set his sights on the podium.

The men of the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team resumed racing this week following a successful campaign at the 2014 Amgen Tour of California. The team lined up in Larvik Harbor two days ago to begin the 5-stage Tour of Norway.

Yesterday’s 193.5-kilometer stage began in the city of Drøbak and led the riders on an undulating route that finished in Sarpsborg. Strong crosswinds and hilly terrain tested the teamwork and fortitude of the peloton as they brought back a breakaway of six riders. Once back together, the peloton was faced with more harsh wind in the final segments of the race.

Sensing a moment of indecision within the peloton, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team rider Marc de Maar saw an opportunity and jumped away from the group with 30 kilometers left in the stage. He was followed by just one rider, Maciej Paterski of Team CCC Polsat Polkowice.

The pair powered through the technical and dangerous final kilometers, carving out a small advantage over the chasing Peloton. Marc de Maar proved the strongest rider on the day as he out-sprinted his breakaway companion for the stage victory.

With the stage win and a 12-second advantage over the peloton, Marc de Maar also earned the overall race leader’s Yellow Jersey. De Maar’s fitness and success comes as no surprise, as he recently claimed the King of the Mountains Jersey at the 2014 Presidential Tour of Turkey.

“It doesn’t happen that often that I win a stage and take the yellow jersey, so I’m delighted,” he said. “It was a bit of an impulse. I wasn’t really thinking of any plan but sometimes that’s the best. There was an opportunity to escape because the bunch hadn’t split up and Katusha stopped working.

"I decided to jump and a CCC rider [Paterski] came with me. He was strong! We kept working together. As a group was apparently coming across, we thought it would be perfect but they didn’t catch us.

“With four kilometers to go, I tried to drop him [Paterski] off, so I didn’t want to work that much anymore after that, which is understandable. Luckily, I made it in the final sprint.

“It’s not going to be easy to control the race. I’m not that used to leading a hors-category race. Normally the climbs in Norway are no problem for me and I came here with GC ambitions. It would be nice to finish on the podium.”

Sports Director Roberto Damiani commented, “In the opening meeting for the Tour of Norway, I reminded the riders that we made an impact in many big races this year and now is the time to win! Today, we are very happy to share this victory with every component of the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team.”

Marc de Maar and his teammates will line up to defend the Yellow Jersey on tomday’s 177-kilometer stage 3 from Årnes to Budor.