Katusha's Simon Spilak took victory on the third stage of Arctic Race Of Norway.
This was a 132km from Alta through the mountains to Kvænangsfjellet which saw Albert Timmer (Giant-Shimano), Florian Senechal (Cofidis) and Vegard Robinson Bugge (Joker) in a break which took a three minute lead.
Going into the final fifty seven kilometres, the gap was down to 2.25 and with Timmer only a minute behind the race leader Lars Petter Nordhaug, there was no chance of the break increasing.
Timmer took both the day's sprints on a cloudy day before Belkin started to put the pressure on the front. That forced Timmer to attack on his own inside the final 25 kilometres.
The Giant Shimano rider, the most combative rider of the day, opened up a twenty second lead over the 114 strong peloton before being caught with twelve kilometres to go.
Alexander Kristoff took the third sprint before the riders started on the Kvaenangsfjellet, a 6.9km climb with average gradient of 5.7%.. A group of Hupond, Corbel, Poulhies, Dron and Gjolberg took to the front.
With less than five kilometres to go and the five escapers caught by a split peloton, Simon Spilak attacked, followed by Belkin's Steven Kruijswijk.
The race leader was struggling in the peloton as Spilak and Kruijswijk, battled on.
They were not to be caught and Simon Spilak of Katusha took the win in 3.18.39, beating Belkin's Steven Kruijswijk who takes over the lead over the race with an eight second lead over team mate Lars Petter Nordhaug.
Fifteen seconds later in came Hivert, Kristoff, Elmgier, M Kreder, Schorn, Laengen, Vantomme and Vliegen.
"I am happy to win this stage," said Spilak to Eurosport. "I thought that my only chance was to go with five kilometres. "I am feeling better after the Tour De France and tomorrow we hope to win the stage."