"3 KOMs today, three chances to take points for the jersey in a short and active stage race. The breakaway was our best chance today to try for something as a team."

Those were the words of Astana's Maxat Ayazbayev after stage two at the Arctic Race of Norway. Ayazbayev worked into the day's early breakaway to set out over five King of the Mountain Classification finishes for valuable Climber's Jersey points, and won for himself the first available prize.

At the second finish Ayazbayev collected the needed points for a tie in the classification and then ceded as a prize of 500kg of freshly frozen salmon delivered anywhere in Europe was offered to the breakaway and chaos disrupted their unity.

In the end a mass finish in Setermoen under grey but friendly skies with all categories extremely tight and virtually no time yet lost among the favorites. Riders passed through an active military garrison and were chased happily by a tank.

The Arctic Race of Norway is organized by the ASO and raced entirely north of the arctic circle.