The cold, wet conditions continued in Norway leaving a decimated peloton to sprint for a third straight day where Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) also scored his third successive victory.  Jasper Stuyven sprinted to fifth to retain the white jersey for best young rider.

Trek Factory Racing put on a fine display of teamwork in the highly aggressive 166-kilometer race, first helping to close down a dangerous split, then in the closing kilometers to help contain numerous late attacks, keeping Jasper Stuyven in contention in the overall classification.

Director Dirk Demol explained what happened in the crucial first part of the race where the race entered the Bømlafjordtunnel and descended an 8% downhill well below sea level before climbing an 8% gradient back to the surface:

“Early on we had a tunnel where we dropped below the sea by 260 meters and when we came out the peloton had split into five groups. There was a first group of 16 or 17 riders that had 45 seconds and we only had Laurent [Didier] there.  Katusha also missed it, so we decided to help them chase to bring it back.  We expended a lot of energy there, the gap went to 1 minute and we had to chase 35 kilometers to bring it back.”

Eventually, a group of 75 riders came together. However, the attacks continued to the bitter end over wet roads and undulating terrain, resulting in a difficult race to control with only 6-man teams. Trek Factory Racing neutralized numerous attacks in the last 20 kilometers.

Three last antagonists were caught with just over one kilometer to go, and again Danny van Poppel expertly guided Stuyven for the sprint, but Kristoff - looking like he may win every stage in this five-day event - easily powered to the victory, making it three for three.

“The team had to work hard today to defend the GC of Jasper. It was only a group of around 40-45 riders that finished together,” continued Demol. “It was a hard stage today, the hardest and fastest so far with all the attacks. Jasper was there at the end but he didn’t have the power to do more than 5th place today. Laurent did a great job today and Danny again in the finale.”

Stuyven dropped one place in the overall standings to third place, as Orica GreenEdge rider Daryl Impey slotted into second with the bonus seconds he grabbed with his second place finish today.

The final podium for the five-day race is looking to be decided by the top finishers each day as it will be hard to go against a cohesive and strong Katusha squad said Demol.

“The team of Katusha is so strong that it’s hard to make anything else happen but sprint finishes every day. It was also another cold 6-7 degrees Celsius with rain again at the end - we hope that the weekend will be better weather like they are announcing, but I have to see it before I will believe it.”