For 2017, the organizers of the Tour the Fjords planned to extend their race with an additional stage and thus make it a six-stage race. However, they will be forced to review the plans and retain its current format, as reported on Friday by Procycling.no. 

The Norwegian event is scheduled to take place from the 23rd to the 28th of May 2017 as part of the International Cycling Union calendar. Now it will start on the 24th and take place over five days. This has been done to accomodate a wish from participating teams, including that of local hero Alexander Kristoff. 

Scheduled for the Tour de Californie, which ends on May 20, the Katusha leader wants plenty of time to travel and recover from the jetlag from the journey between the two continents. Other team invited to the Norwegian race have indicated that the close proximity of the two events of the country, the Tour of Norway (May 17-21) and the Tour of the Fjords (May 23-28), would make it difficult to do both. Hence, the decision was taken by the organizers of the event which will celebrate its tenth edition in 2017.

The organizers also want make a good impression and to forget the chaotic opening stage in the streets of Bergen this season. Next year the World Road Cycling Championships will be held in the city.