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| Arctic Race of Norway |
The world's most beautiful bike race
The Arctic Race of Norway will take place between August 8th and August 11th 2013
The search for the heroes of tomorrow
Young Norwegian cyclists will get to rub shoulders with the elite by opening the road for them in the morning before the last stage of the Arctic Race of Norway, due to finish in Harstad on August 11. The race organisers joined forces with the Norwegian Cycling Federation to launch the "Arctic Heroes of Tomorrow Race" (Arctic Morgendagens Helter-Rittet), thereby also incorporating one of the main programmes of Statoil, the main partner of the event
Volvo delivers 70 cars for the Arctic Race of Norway 2013
Volvo Norway delivers 70 biler for the Arctic Race of Norway 2013 and the cars will be used by the cycling teams, the organizers, some media and the UCI representatives. Bil i Nord, running Volvo sales in Northern Norway, has long been positive to this cycling race and contributed to this agreement between Volvo Norway and the organizers of the Arctic Race of Norway.
An international stage race on road bike is also a large logistics operation. The cars represent one important element of these logistics and Volvo delivers approximately 70 cars of different models to the start city of Bodø. Bil i Nord's managing director in Harstad, Karl Erik A. Nilsen, and managing director of the Arctic Race of Norway, Knut-Eirik Dybdal, mark this agreement locally with a good firm handshake, days before the Race starts in Bodø.
The cars that are used by cycling teams are to be marked by teams' logos and custom-made roofs are created to carry the bikes. The vehicles for the organizers will have stickers, top hats and the proper accreditation.
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| Volvo |
BMC participates with Thor Hushovd as the Race Ambassador
A press release from Arctic Race of Norway on June 19th confirms that Protour cycling team BMC participates with 6 riders in the first edition of the race and that Thor Hushovd rides as the Arctic Race of Norway's official ambassador.
Thor Hushovd was a protagonist in the rise of Norwegian cycling in the 2000s and Norwegians' enthusiasm for this sport did not decrease when he won the World Championships in 2010. In the wake of his stint in the rainbow jersey, the BMC rider has now become the enthusiastic and proud ambassador of the Arctic Race of Norway, which he will have the honour of kicking off with race number 1 on his back next August 8.
An enthusiastic Hushovd
"The idea piqued my interest straight away", Hushovd explains. "No big events are organised in Northern Norway. Everything happens either in the south, where I come from, or in Oslo. Personally, I've never been to the Lofoten Islands, or further north still, where the Arctic Race is due to be held. I've only seen this part of my country in pictures! I've often been invited to go there, but I've never had the time or the opportunity to do so. It's great to have such a big event in a place where nature is so beautiful, at a time of the year when the weather is fair. This will be a unique experience for both riders and TV viewers."
- A unique race
"The way this race will be organised is unique in our sport", continues Hushovd. "The riders will never forget riding along the fjords, the islands and the sea. Cycling is the only travelling sport which can showcase the most jaw-dropping places on Earth. Lots of viewers in the rest of the world will discover the most beautiful face of Norway thanks to footage of the Arctic Race. I'm proud of my country, so it's an honour for me to be its ambassador. I'll do everything I can to promote the inaugural edition, especially in the upcoming Tour de France. Organising such an event is the logical next step for Norwegian cycling, after bringing up riders and finding a place for our activity in the country's sporting landscape."
The Tour de France director pays his tribute
Following the appointment of Thor Hushovd, Christian Prudhomme described what the Norwegian's "unconventional" career evokes in him: "with a repertoire far more varied than that of run-of-the-mill sprinters, he won mass sprints, took a Pyrenean stage ending in Lourdes, conquered the green jersey thanks to the points he grabbed in the mountains, and rounded it all off by pulling on the rainbow jersey on the other side of the world... a triumph loaded with symbolism."
Thrilled
The organisers of the Arctic Race of Norway are of course thrilled to release the news of Hushovd and BMC's participation in the race. "We are particularly proud that the greatest representative of Norwegian cycling has taken on the role as the official ambassador of the race", affirms director Knut Eirik Dybdal.
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| The Arctic Race of Norway |
Packed and ready for the Arctic Race of Norway0
The final preparations for the first edition of the Arctic Race of Norway are made now. Those who have their things packed and ready may then anticipate the great start of the Event, with the team presentation on Wednesday 7th and the start of the Race on Thursday 8th.
All lined up are also 8 Kawasaki motorcycles coming directly from the Tour de France and longing to get out on North-Norwegian roads. |
| Kawasaki motorcycles |
Arctic Race of Norway in 2013 is already a folk festival. 4-5000 people came to Bodø on 7 August during the opening ceremony and the first leg (Bodø Bodø) Asked thousands of spectators along the course. The support and creativity that people showed the stage was overwhelming for both riders, organizers and all that followed the race.
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| Arctic Race of Norway |
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| Arctic Race of Norway |
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| Arctic Race of Norway |
Stage One
Bodø - Bodø
General Classification
| Riders | Teams | Time | Diff | ||
| 1 | Kenny van Hummel (NED) | Vacansoleil | 4:23:35 | ||
| 2 | Barry Markus (NED) | Vacansoleil | +4 | + | |
| 3 | Rüdiger Selig (GER) | Katyusha | +6 | + | |
| 4 | Sébastien Turgot (FRA) | Europcar | +6 | + | |
| 5 | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | BMC Racing | +7 | + | |
| 6 | Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) | Belkin | +7 | + | |
| 7 | Matthias Friedemann (GER) | Champion System | +8 | + | |
| 8 | Kevin Van Melsen (BEL) | Accent.jobs | +8 | + | |
| 9 | Jetse Bol (NED) | Belkin | +10 | + | |
| 10 | Jonas Ahlstrand (SWE) | Argos | +10 | + | |
| 11 | Jo Ringheim (NOR) | People4you | +10 | + | |
| 12 | Sondre Enger (NOR) | Plussbank | +10 | + | |
| 13 | Ralf Matzka (GER) | NetApp | +10 | + | |
| 14 | Jan Ghyselinck (BEL) | Cofidis | +10 | + | |
| 15 | Zico Waeytens (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen | +10 | + | |
| 16 | Tony Hurel (FRA) | Europcar | +10 | + | |
| 17 | Tom Van Asbroeck (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen | +10 | + | |
| 18 | Baptiste Planckaert (BEL) | Crelan | +10 | + | |
| 19 | Edwig Cammaerts (BEL) | Cofidis | +10 | + | |
| 20 | Davy Commeyne (BEL) | Accent.jobs | +10 | + | |
| 21 | Fabien Bacquet (FRA) | Big Mat | +10 | + | |
| 22 | Vegard Robinson Bugge (NOR) | Joker | +10 | + | |
| 23 | Filip Eidsheim (NOR) | Øster Hus | +10 | + | |
| 24 | Steven Caethoven (BEL) | Accent.jobs | +10 | + | |
| 25 | Jon Einar Bergsland (NOR) | OneCo | +10 | + | |
| 26 | Dion Smith (NZL) | Champion System | +10 | + | |
| 27 | Stijn Neirynck (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen | +10 | + | |
| 28 | Arnaud Labbe (FRA) | Cofidis | +10 | + | |
| 29 | August Jensen (NOR) | Øster Hus | +10 | + | |
| 30 | Wesley Kreder (NED) | Vacansoleil | +10 | + | |
| 31 | Mathieu Drujon (FRA) | Big Mat | +10 | + | |
| 32 | Florent Barle (FRA) | Cofidis | +10 | + | |
| 33 | Clinton Avery (NZL) | Champion System | +10 | + | |
| 34 | Håkon Berger (NOR) | Ringeriks-Kraft | +10 | + | |
| 35 | Reidar Borgersen (NOR) | Joker | +10 | + | |
| 36 | Tord Sundhagen (NOR) | Frøy | +10 | + | |
| 37 | Sven Erik Bystrøm (NOR) | Øster Hus | +10 | + | |
| 38 | Fredrik Ludvigsson (SWE) | People4you | +10 | + | |
| 39 | Timofey Kritskiy (RUS) | Katyusha | +10 | + | |
| 40 | Ramon Sinkeldam (NED) | Argos | +10 | + | |
| 41 | Nikias Arndt (GER) | Argos | +10 | + | |
| 42 | Maxime Vantomme (BEL) | Crelan | +10 | + | |
| 43 | Magnus Børresen (NOR) | OneCo | +10 | + | |
| 44 | Håvard Blikra (NOR) | Øster Hus | +10 | + | |
| 45 | Scott Thwaites (GBR) | NetApp | +10 | + | |
| 46 | Blaž Jarc (SLO) | NetApp | +10 | + | |
| 47 | Wouter Mol (NED) | Vacansoleil | +10 | + | |
| 48 | Angelo Tulik (FRA) | Europcar | +10 | + | |
| 49 | Marco Haller (AUT) | Katyusha | +10 | + | |
| 50 | Jasper De Buyst (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen | +10 | + | |
| 51 | Markus Eichler (GER) | NetApp | +10 | + | |
| 52 | Andreas Erland (NOR) | Plussbank | +10 | + | |
| 53 | Paul Martens (GER) | Belkin | +10 | + | |
| 54 | Rick Flens (NED) | Belkin | +10 | + | |
| 55 | Phan Åge Haugård (NOR) | OneCo | +10 | + | |
| 56 | Thomas Larsen (NOR) | Plussbank | +10 | + | |
| 57 | Tobias Ludvigsson (SWE) | Argos | +10 | + | |
| 58 | Michael Olsson (SWE) | People4you | +10 | + | |
| 59 | Oddbjørn Andersen (NOR) | Frøy | +10 | + | |
| 60 | Rob Ruijgh (NED) | Vacansoleil | +10 | + | |
| 61 | Gert Jõeäär (EST) | Cofidis | +10 | + | |
| 62 | Mikhail Ignatiev (RUS) | Katyusha | +10 | + | |
| 63 | Elias Spikseth (NOR) | Frøy | +10 | + | |
| 64 | Sébastien Delfosse (BEL) | Crelan | +10 | + | |
| 65 | Maurits Lammertink (NED) | Vacansoleil | +10 | + | |
| 66 | Preben Van Hecke (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen | +10 | + | |
| 67 | Sébastien Chavanel (FRA) | Europcar | +10 | + | |
| 68 | Maxim Belkov (RUS) | Katyusha | +10 | + | |
| 69 | Amund Jansen (NOR) | Plussbank | +10 | + | |
| 70 | Michael Schwarzmann (GER) | NetApp | +10 | + | |
| 71 | Vincent Jérôme (FRA) | Europcar | +10 | + | |
| 72 | Kristian Dyrnes (NOR) | Øster Hus | +10 | + | |
| 73 | Gilles Devillers (BEL) | Crelan | +10 | + | |
| 74 | Reinier Honig (NED) | Crelan | +10 | + | |
| 75 | Øystein Laengen (NOR) | OneCo | +10 | + | |
| 76 | Klaas Sys (BEL) | Crelan | +10 | + | |
| 77 | Thomas Degand (BEL) | Accent.jobs | +10 | + | |
| 78 | Dominik Nerz (GER) | BMC Racing | +10 | + | |
| 79 | Sondre Hurum (NOR) | OneCo | +10 | + | |
| 80 | Bryan Naulleau (FRA) | Europcar | +10 | + | |
| 81 | Silvan Dillier (SUI) | BMC Racing | +10 | + | |
| 82 | Fredrik Galta (NOR) | Øster Hus | +10 | + | |
| 83 | Bjørn Tore Hoem (NOR) | Plussbank | +10 | + | |
| 84 | Sindre Lunke (NOR) | Plussbank | +10 | + | |
| 85 | Martin Kohler (SUI) | BMC Racing | +10 | + | |
| 86 | Stian Remme (NOR) | Joker | +10 | + | |
| 87 | Jérôme Gilbert (BEL) | Accent.jobs | +10 | + | |
| 88 | Sander Helven (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen | +10 | + | |
| 89 | Flavien Dassonville (FRA) | Big Mat | +10 | + | |
| 90 | Kristoffer Skjerping (NOR) | Joker | +10 | + | |
| 91 | Nicolas Vogondy (FRA) | Accent.jobs | +10 | + | |
| 92 | Øivind Lukkedahl (NOR) | Ringeriks-Kraft | +10 | + | |
| 93 | Romain Bacon (FRA) | Big Mat | +10 | + | |
| 94 | Marius Hafsås (NOR) | Ringeriks-Kraft | +10 | + | |
| 95 | Tom Stamsnijder (NED) | Argos | +10 | + | |
| 96 | Halvor Tandrevold (NOR) | Frøy | +10 | + | |
| 97 | Sindre Eid Hermansen (NOR) | Ringeriks-Kraft | +10 | + | |
| 98 | Andreas Landa (NOR) | OneCo | +10 | + | |
| 99 | Sebastian Lander (DEN) | BMC Racing | +10 | + | |
| 100 | Moreno Hofland (NED) | Belkin | +10 | + | |
| 101 | Thierry Hupond (FRA) | Argos | +10 | + | |
| 102 | Philip Lindau (SWE) | People4you | +10 | + | |
| 103 | Zach Bell (CAN) | Champion System | +36 | + | |
| 104 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (NOR) | Belkin | +48 | + | |
| 105 | Max Emil Kørner (NOR) | Ringeriks-Kraft | +1:36 | + | |
| 106 | Adam Blythe (ENG) | BMC Racing | +17:48 | + | |
| 107 | Trond Trondsen (NOR) | Frøy | +17:49 | + | |
| 108 | Christer Jensen (NOR) | Joker | +17:49 | + | |
| 109 | Robert Pölder (SWE) | People4you | +17:49 | + | |
| 110 | Christian Bertilsson (SWE) | People4you | +17:49 | + | |
| 111 | Edvin Wilsson (SWE) | Joker | +17:49 | + | |
| 112 | Yannis Yssaad (FRA) | Big Mat | +17:49 | + | |
| 113 | Louis Verhelst (BEL) | Cofidis | +17:49 | + | |
| 114 | Benoît Drujon (FRA) | Big Mat | +17:49 | + | |
| 115 | Mart Ojavee (EST) | Champion System | +17:49 | + | |
| 116 | Russell Downing (ENG) | NetApp | +17:49 | + |
Stage Two
Svolvær - Svolvær