Christophersen goes bold, Silva in gold

August 16 ^th 2026 - 18:14 [GMT + 2]

Cedrik Bakke Christophersen (Unibet Rose Rockets) had never won as a professional, but there is a first time for everything. And what a first for this local rider turned national hero! With flair, the Norwegian broke away from the peloton in the final kilometre of the last climb of the Arctic Race of Norway, in Narvik. The 24-year-old’s audacious burst made the difference as the favourites were slow to react. He claimed Norway’s 19th victory in the race, ahead of Ludovico Crescioli (Polti VisitMalta) and Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana), who won the overall classification. The Uruguayan became the first South American to conquer the Midnight Sun jersey, giving his team a fourth victory in the event. He finished ahead of Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Intermarché) and Alessandro Pinarello (NSN), who also joined him on the podium of the best young rider classification. First in Myre three days earlier, Giovanni Lonardi (Polti VisitMalta) won the points classification. Local rider Morthern Wang Baksaas (Lucky Sport) claimed the Northern Lights jersey as winner of the mountains classification.

The 190.5 final kilometres. 190.5 kilometres, but above all a final 3.9-kilometre climb at 6.2% in Narvik, at the foot of the slopes that will host the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships. This is where, in three years’ time, the world’s best downhill skiers will be crowned. But today, it is the best climbers in the peloton of the 2026 Arctic Race of Norway who will battle it out there. Having won atop Storheia the previous day, Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana) begins the final stage of this 13th edition with a 10-second lead over Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Intermarché). Alessandro Pinarello (NSN, +21"), Robbe Dhondt (Picnic PostNL, +25") and Felix Engelhardt (Jayco AlUla, +31") are not so far, in a top 10 separated by just 42 seconds. Everything therefore remains to be decided as the riders set off from Sortland, which is hosting a stage for the third time after 2013 (Stage 4) and 2019 (Stage 3).

Three Scandinavians in the breakaway

The fast start to this fourth stage prevents anyone from escaping the peloton despite numerous attacks. On the first of the four categorized climbs, Karingen (km 46.6 / 2.8 km at 4.2%), the most combative rider of the previous day, Finland’s champion Axel Källberg (Lucky Sport), takes the three points in the mountains classification ahead of Spaniard Jon Agirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Swede Teodor De Luca (Lucky Sport). They gain a few metres but are subsequently caught by the bunch. The attacks continue to animate the race, including one from Henrik Pedersen (Uno-X Mobility), who manages to break clear on his own… before being caught as well.

Pedersen keeps pushing, and his efforts eventually pay off, this time alongside his Norwegian teammate Adne Holter and another Dane, Anders Foldager (Jayco AlUla). Several riders attempt to bridge across, but none can make the junction with the trio, which ultimately forms the breakaway of the day. Their advantage quickly surpasses two minutes over a peloton led by Silva’s teammates, notably Nikiforos Arvanitou and Anton Kuzmin. With Foldager just 1'47" behind the wearer of the Midnight Sun jersey, he moves into the virtual lead of the general classification.

Suspense right up to the slopes of Narvik

The breakaway’s advantage continues to grow, approaching three minutes with 50 kilometres remaining. It stands at 3'05" at the summit of Skoddebergvatnet (km 142.1 / 1.3 km at 6.5%), where Foldager goes over the top first. The Dane had already done the same shortly beforehand at Balteskaret (km 125.9 / 2 km at 7.2%). He remains the virtual leader of the Arctic Race of Norway as the race enters the final 30 kilometres, with the peloton 2'40" behind. The chasing pack pick up the pace and gradually reduce the gap, which is down to just 1 minute and 10 seconds at the Oyjord’s intermediate sprint, 11.9 kilometres from the finish and won by Foldager.

The Polti VisitMalta riders turned up the pressure as they entered the final ten kilometres, making the first selection in a peloton that was beginning to shed riders. The Lotto Intermarché team of Van Eetvelt took control of the chase as Narvik approached, with a 25-second gap remaining at the five-kilometre mark. As yesterday, Thomas Gachignard (TotalEnergies) made his presence felt approaching the finish, this time attacking from the peloton to bridge across to the leading group. The Frenchman took turns at the front with Pedersen, forming a two-man breakaway with three kilometres to go… before going clear on his own one kilometre later.

Christophersen, the Unibet rocket

With Gachignard posing no threat to the general classification, the favourites were slow to react. That gave Cedric Bakke Christophersen (Unibet Rose Rockets) the perfect opportunity to attack with one kilometre to go. He caught Gachignard and continued his bold charge towards the finish. The late reaction from his rivals was not enough, and Christophersen raised his arms to celebrate his first professional victory. He delivered Norway its 19th win on the race, ahead of Ludovic Crescioli (Polti VisitMalta) and Silva, who secured the overall victory. He finished ahead of Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Intermarché) and Alessandro Pinarello (NSN), who also joined him on the podium for the best young rider classification. Giovanni Lonardi (Polti VisitMalta), winner in Myre three days earlier, claimed the points classification, while local rider Morthern Wang Baksaas (Lucky Sport) took the Northern Lights jersey for the mountains classification.

Guillermo Thomas Silva becomes the 13th different winner of the Arctic Race of Norway in 13 editions, and the first South American to add his name to the roll of honour. The Uruguayan continues an already outstanding 2026 season, following victories at the Tour of Hainan (two stages and the overall classification), the Giro d’Italia (one stage and two days in the Maglia Rosa), as well as the Clásica de Ordizia and Clásica Castilla y León. He gives XDS Astana their fourth overall title in the race, following Rein Taaramäe (2015), Sergey Chernetskiy (2018) and Alexey Lutsenko (2019), making the team the most successful in Arctic Race of Norway history.