Norwegian Alexander Kristoff of Katusha has won the opening stage of the Tour Of Norway.
Twenty one teams including six world tour teams in Katusha, Sky, Trek, Lotto-Soudal, Orica-Greenedge and Tinkoff-Saxo, competed in the race which kicked off with a 182km stage from Årnes to Sarpsborg.
Molina (Caja Rural), Aistrup (Riwal), Balck (Tre Berg), Laengen (Joker) and Landa (Coop) formed the first break and worked to take a lead of 7.30 over the other 120 riders.
With Katusha leading the bunch, the gap came down to 5.50 and with eighty kilometres gone was 3.50.
Landa took the KOM points for the day's climb at Momarken before Sean De Bie and Pim Lithgart joined the escapers.
With ten kilometres to go, the peloton were 1.30 behind but they got the hammer down to be only a minute behind when the final finishing lap started.
With four hundred metres to go, the escapers were caught and the sprint was on. Alexander Kristoff, who has been in excellent form this season, went for it and the Katusha rider won ahead of Caleb Ewan and Edvald Boasson Hagen, a second ahead of British rider Andy Fenn, followed by Van der Sande, Laengen, Vallee, Nordhaug, Galta and Laengen.