The Glava Tour of Norway ended yesterday with the 173 km 5th stage from Gjovik to Honefoss.

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) won again, thus taking his third stage victory out of 5 stages in this competition. The Katusha Team's Norwegian sprinter was the fastest in a bunch sprint, defeating Sondre Holste Enger (Plussbank), in second position, and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky), third today and winner of the final general classification. The stage was characterized by a breakaway formed quite late on the stage, after many early attacks: Danail Andonov Petrov (Caja Rural), Bjorne Tore Nilsen Hoem (Plussbank), Adrian Palomares (De Rijke-Shanks), Remi Pauriol (Sojasun), Sep Vanmarcke (Blanco) and Katusha Team's Russian rider Vladimir Isaychev. The six-man group was able to stay ahead until 12km to go, when the chasing peloton was able to neutralize their attempt. With the group in lock step, Katusha Team again did a great job for Kristoff, who started his sprint in a perfect position and won the stage with a powerful rush.

"Obviously I'm very satisfied,” said the Norwegian sprinter. “I closed this 'Tour of Norway" with three victories and one second place, these results are beyond every expectations. That means I'm in a good shape, and I'm working well in order to be at my top in the Tour de France. Today the team worked really well: Smukulis, Haller and Kritskiy were with me all the time during the climbing, which was quite hard with a peak at 27%, so thanks to them I could save my legs. Many others dropped, so in the end the main group was made up by around 40 riders: my teammates brought me in a good position, so in the end I could take the victory. It's a pity that I was dropped yesterday as otherwise I could have fought for general classification. My next step towards the Tour de France will be the Tour de Suisse, a hard competition where I can test my shape and improvements."