Stage 4: Arctic Tour of Norway

Dylan Teuns wins final stage to add to the overall victory after four stages in the Arctic Tour of Norway

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Stage 4: Arctic Tour of Norway

BMC Team Press Release

After taking the leader’s jersey with victory on stage one of the Arctic Tour of Norway, Dylan Teuns won his third consecutive stage race in as many weeks today after powering away from the rest of field to take a solo stage win in Tromsø.

Photo @ArcticRaceofN

A seven-rider breakaway went clear almost as soon as the flag dropped and with no one threatening the overall race lead of Teuns, BMC Racing Team sat up and allowed the gap to grow to over four minutes after just 10km, of the 160.5km out and back course.

After peaking at 5’30” with 120km of racing still to come, the advantage of the leaders began to fall steadily with the peloton picking up the pace and bringing the gap down to under four minutes as they headed into the second half of the stage.

With 55km to go, only two riders were left out at the front of the race and with teams eyeing a potential bunch sprint the pace of the peloton began to pick up. Eventually, on the first of three laps of a 13km finishing circuit around Tromsø, which included two categorized climbs, the breakaway’s advantage was pulled to within two minutes.

The final breakaway rider was within sight with 22km to go as a handful of riders attacked off the front to bridge across to the lone leader. With Teuns holding onto an advantage of just three seconds at the beginning of the day, BMC Racing Team were happy to allow the seven-rider group to sweep up the bonus seconds on offer as the bell rang to mark the start of the final lap.

The final chase began immediately with Floris Gerts moving up to the front to help drive the pace as Teuns was protected by the rest of his BMC Racing Team teammates as they hit the final climb of the day with 5km to go.

Approaching the top of the Prestvannet Summit, the late attackers were within sight as Teuns seized the opportunity to secure both the overall victory and a second stage win by launching a stinging attack which saw him power away from the rest of the field.

Teuns’ strength and determination were written all over his face as he pushed hard over the final 2km of the day before dipping down onto the finishing straight and taking a bow as he crossed the line to secure both the stage win and overall victory.

Teuns also won the Best Young Rider and Points Classifications in Norway after an impressive week of racing.

Dylan Teuns: “It’s a bit like a fairytale. It’s an unbelievable feeling. I knew my shape wasn’t gone coming into this race but to back up my previous performances here is incredible.”

Photo: @ArcticRaceofN

“We had a good tactic coming into today’s stage and the team was ready to fight for me. In the end, I won the jersey but the guys worked really hard for me and I really appreciate all the work they have done. It is a huge honor to have the team riding for me and believing in me. It is a great feeling and it is important for my confidence. If your teammates believe in you, it gives you a little bit of an edge over other riders.”
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“As they say in soccer, sometimes attack is the best form of defense. I could have waited until the final sprint, then there was the chance that August Jensen (Team Coop) could take bonus seconds as I heard he was pretty fast. I was playing a little bit of game on the last climb like I was doing all day, and I was waiting as I didn’t want to go too early. When I saw that the guys were just in front of me and the final climb was almost over, I thought now is the time to go. I just wanted to make sure that I didn’t take Jensen with me.”

“I went at the right moment, and I knew when I looked behind that I had a small gap and that I just had to keep going because there was a short descent and they weren’t going to catch me on that. It was pretty technical so they wouldn’t be riding any faster than me. With 1km to go I looked behind again I didn’t see anyone, so I was pretty sure, not totally, but confident enough and then I just went full gas until the last few meters to keep the jersey safe.”

“I think after this race I have a some time to rest and recover after a tough few weeks before I head into my next races and I hope this form continues.”

Stage 4
1. Dylan Teuns BMC Racing Team
2. Loïc Chetout Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
3. Erik Sven Bystrøm Team Katusha – Alpecin
4. Andrei Grivko Astana Pro Team
5. Olivier Pardini WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
6. Bjørn Tore Hoem Team Joker Icopal
7. Alexander Kristoff Team Katusha – Alpecin
8. Quentin Pacher Delko Marseille Provence KTM
9. Lawrence Naesen WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
10. Amanuel Gebreigzabhier Dimension Data

Final Overall
1. Dylan Teuns BMC Racing Team
2. August Jensen Team Coop
3. Michel Kreder Aqua Blue Sport
4. Alexander Kristoff Team Katusha – Alpecin
5. Eliot Lietaer Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
6. Quentin Pacher Delko Marseille Provence KTM
7. Tore Hoem Bjørn Team Joker Icopal
8. Fredrik Carl Hagen Team Joker Icopal
9. Amanuel Gebreigzabhier Dimension Data
10. Andrei Grivko Astana Pro Team

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