Strong, the strongest in Harstad
August 7 th 2025 - 18:02 [GMT + 2]
Corbin Strong became the first leader of the 2025 Arctic Race of Norway after winning the opening stage in Harstad, decided in a punchy, uphill sprint that saw a mix of sprinters and classic specialists battle for the win. The New Zealander and his fellow Israel-Premier Tech rider Riley Sheehan delivered a one-two at the finish to reward the tenacious work of their teammates throughout the stage and frustrate the efforts of Uno-X’s Rasmus Tiller, who was third across the line. It was a cold, rainy day in Northern Norway that saw Storm Ingebrigtsen (Coop-Repsol) take the northern lights jersey as leader of the KOM classification and Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) claim six bonus seconds that may be instrumental later in the week. Powerhouses and fast men will have a new chance to score a good result and claim the Midnight Sun jersey this Friday in Sørreisa, finish town of a second stage which features a final circuit that includes a gravel sector.
107 riders took the start in the 12th edition of the Arctic Race of Norway, which began at 13:50 with a 182-kilometre stage between Borkenes (in the municipality of Kvæfjord) and Harstad. Despite some attacks, the peloton crested the first climb of the week to the Storjorda summit (Cat 2, km 13,4) tight together under the pouring rain, and led by Kevin Inkelaar (Unibet Tietema Rockets). It was on the approach to the first passage at the finish line in Harstad (IS, km 43,2) that Romain Combaud (Picnic-PostNL), Abram Stockman (Unibet Tietema Rockets), Vetle Torin Eskedal (Norwegian National Team) and Storm Ingebrigtsen (Coop-Repsol) managed to break away from the peloton, with the latter coming first in the Intermediate Sprint. Shortly after, Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) and Georg Rydningen Martinsen (Lillehammer CK) jumped from the peloton to bridge back with the men at the front and establish a six-strong breakaway that enjoyed a 1’15” advantage on the peloton 49 kilometers into the course, as the rain stopped and the clouds made way for the sun to shine over the cyclists.
Dversnes claims six bonus seconds
Marcel Camprubí (Q36.5) and Floris Van Tricht (Israel-Premier Tech) were tasked by their teams with controlling the breakaway’s lead, helping the chances of their respective leaders Tom Pidcock and Corbin Strong of succeeding in the final straight, which was slightly uphill and well suited to their qualities. Dversnes was first across Borkenes (IS, km 75,6), where the break’s advantage was clocked at 1’45”, while Ingebrigtsen led the way through the second passage across the Storjorda summit (Cat 2, km 93,1). XDS-Astana put Anthon Charmig to work at the head of the peloton on behalf of their fast men Davide Ballerini and Cees Bol, and the gap got consequently reduced down to 50” at the second passage through the finish line in Harstad (IS, km 122,9), led again by Dversnes in his bonus seconds hunt. At this point, Robbie Dhont (Picnic-PostNL) pulled out from the race and the rain started falling again.
Ingebritsen takes the northern lights jersey by storm
Storm Ingebrigtsen claimed full points atop both the Sollia summit (Cat 2, km 130,8) and the third and final passage through the Storjorda summit (Cat 2, km 152), thus securing the northern lights jersey as leader of the KOM classification. Equipo Kern Pharma took the helm of the peloton during the latter climb, neutralizing the breakaway right at its summit, and kept setting the pace in the descent. The Spanish team launched Mats Wenzel on a lone attack 18 kilometers from the finish that turned out fruitless, as did another attempt by Yentl Vandevelde (Flanders-Baloise), Sven Erik Bystrøm (Norwegian National Team) and Eirik Vang Aas (Coop-Repsol) with 6 to go. The scenario was then set for a showdown between the punchiest, fastest men of the race at the final slopes in Harstad. Israel-Premier Tech led the bunch into the last kilometer, granting the best possible opportunity for Corbin Strong and Riley Sheehan to deliver an excellent result.
