Boasson Hagen wins in Tour of Norway

Langesund.Edvald Boasson of Norway.Photo: Trond Reidar Teigen / NTB scanpix

Edvald Boasson Hagen sprinted the best and won Saturday’s fourth stage of the Tour of Norway from Flå to Eggemoen.

 

Boasson Hagen came to the finish together with a small group of riders and was the strongest of all in the sprint. Team Katusha rider Sondre Holst Enger finished second, while German Paul Martens took third place.

– This was incredibly well. There was a lot of headwind on the run, and it was a close fight, said Boasson Hagen to TV2 news after finishing.

The victory was the first Norwegian in the Tour of Norway.

– It is good to see that we Norwegians can ride also, said Boasson Hagen humorously.

A seven man major breach came off early in the stage, but the front group were en route reduced to five riders. With just over 10 km left to bike, the quintet in front had a stalling 40-second lead over chasing Markus Hoelgaard, while the peloton followed another ten seconds further back.

A valiant Hoelgaard made contact with the front, but it did not help much. Into the last hill, the peloton had sealed the hatch to the forefront. Thereafter, it was mostly about the favorites.

Dutch Pieter Weening defended his overall lead Saturday but had to see Sondre Holst Enger gaining seconds and catching up. In-front of Sunday’s final leg from Drøbak to Sarpsborg, 39 seconds divide the two in the lead.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today