Fjords: Boasson Hagen outsprints Boom to claim Stage 3

KOPERVIK, Norway — Reigning Norwegian road race and time trial champion came good on a technical stage 3 at the Tour des Fjords with a thunderous sprint victory on the island of Karmøy on Friday.

The recently crowned three-time Tour of Norway winner, who is still suffering from muscle stiffness as a result of a crash in last week’s race, took the win over 2008 world cyclo-cross champion Lars Boom (LottonNL-Jumbo) of the Netherlands and fellow Norwegian August Jensen (Team Coop) at the end of the 180.2-kilometre route from Odda to Kopervik. The victory marks the 30-year-old’s second Fjords stage win dating back to his 2015 victory in Stavanger.

Boom, who told Eurosport prior to the race on Wednesday he was still feeling a bit overcooked from the UCI cyclo-cross season, was happy to reach the podium but obviously disappointed with he narrow loss.

“I think we waited a bit too long in the sprint, and [Boasson Hagen] jumped me on the last 50 metres,” explained Boom. “I know he is really quick, and I am also quick, but I’m not really quick at the moment. I am happy that I am second but also disappointed that I didn’t win.”

A four-man break animated the race for the majority of the day after a fifth rider Nick van der Lijke (Roompot-Nederlandse) dropped off. Jakub Kaczmarek (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Isac Lundgren (Tre Berg-Postnord), Krists Neilands (Israel Cycling Academy) and Jon Irisarri (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) led the race after the first of two categorised climbs located inside the first 20km of the race.

While the break held a four-minute lead with less than 40km remaining, the quartet eventually lost steam — and ground — to a surging peloton with 5km to go.

The win leapfrogs Boasson Hagen over stage 2 winner Timo Roosen (LottoNL-Jumbo) and 10 seconds closer (+0:21) to the yellow leaders jersey held by stage 1 winner Dries Van Gestel (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise). Van Gestel lifted it on stage 2 from opening day runner-up Daniel Turek (Israel Cycling Academy), who earned it by taking bonus time on two of the first three intermediate sprints. Roosen slips to third still 24 seconds back.

“It was a really technical course and some of the corners came really fast,” said Boasson Hagen after the race. ”I was closed in by Lotto, but I feel extra good today and we collected some bonus seconds.

“It really helps with the extra 10 seconds because we need every second we can get.

“The goal is the general classification.”

Saturday’s 162km penultimate stage starts tomorrow in Stavanger and finishes in Sandnes. The stage ends with a local circuit across the short but very steep Bakken climb, which will promote late attacks and will put Van Gestel’s overall lead at at risk. Tour des Fjords returns to Stavanger for the race finale.