Muscon Wins Arctic Race Of Norway

Last updated : 14 August 2016 By CNS Sport

Gianni Muscon of Team Sky has won the Arctic Race Of Norway.

Gianni Muscon of Team Sky led going into the final 190km stage from the Arctic Circle to Bodø. 

 

Sylvain Chavanvel, Pete Williams of ONE Pro Cycling, Antonioni and KOM leader Tom Van Asbroeck were the first to get away with Van Asbroeck taking the five points on the Ljøsenhammeren climb.

That break was reeled in with a hundred kilometres left of the race and after Carl Fredrik Hagen took the Enge Summit climb, a new break of Anders Skaarseth, Olvind Lukkedal, Floris De Tier, Karol Domagalski amd BMC's Marcus Burghardt formed.

With 82kms to go, this group had a lead of 2.01 over the peloton and five kilometres later, that had stretched to 2.23.

Lukkedal took the final climb of the race meaning that Van Asbroeck was the winner of the Salmon Jersey and had 500lb's worth of salmon to take home.

The gap continued to fall as the riders headed towards Bodø where there was three laps to be completed.

Team Sky continued to take a long turn on the front and had the gap at 1.44 with 43.2kms left

The gap was at 1.21 as they entered the City centre circuit with 32.5kms left.

There were big crowds in Bodø on a sunny day and Skaarseth took the first sprint at Kleivaveien ahead of Burghardt with Tier and Domagalski still left in the break with 18.7kms left.

The quartet were still 23 seconds ahead as they took the bell for the final 9.8km lap.

Skaarseth took the final sprint as the four continued to work together. The gap was coming down and with 2.5kms left, the break was caught.

Under the flam rouge, and the sprint was on with John Degenkolb taking Kristoff after Delarge had led it out. John Degenkolb of Giant Alpecin made his move and won it in 4.17.39 ahead of Kristoff, Dermare, Hofland and Van Poppel

Gianni Muscon finished safely to take the overall win with a fifteen second victory over Stef Clement.

"I am super happy to take this win," said Degenkolb about his win. "It feels like a big classic win. "Today everything was fine and I am super happy. There was a strong peloton and we had to fight to bring back the break. This victory goes to the whole team."