Kenny van Hummel (Vacansoleil-DCM) took his first win of the 2013 season as he sprinted to victory in the opening stage of the inaugural Arctic Tour of Norway, in Bodø. The 30-year-old Dutchman was the first to open up his sprint, as the Argos-Shimano team led the peloton into the finishing straight, and held on to win by more than a length over Vacansoleil-DCM teammate and compatriot Barry Markus in a one-two for the Dutch team.
The battle for third was taken by German Rüdiger Selig (Katusha), who bumped shoulders with Thor Hushovd (BMC Racing) as he squeezed between the Norwegian champion and the lefthand barriers as they hit the finish line.
“I’m really happy with this victory”, said van Hummel. “I’ve waited for a long time to get my first win this year. I’m glad it happens here and now.
“We’re not used to race so far north and it’s a bit of a climate change after the hot weather I recently experienced in Belgium,” he added. “I was a bit surprised to see so many spectators on the road despite the cold. The race was also hard today and I was struggling a little bit. But at the end, I managed to fight well for positioning. I was in competition with Thor Hushovd, it was a great challenge to beat him here as he was so motivated for winning in his country. But I wanted to position myself behind the wheels of the Argos guys and I did. In the last 200 metres, I went full speed. It feels great to be a winner again.”
The main breakaway of the 192.5km stage came after halfway, when nine riders escaped the peloton. In the group were Lars-Petter Nordhaug and Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin), Marco Haller (Katusha), Angelo Tulik (Europcar), Nicolas Vogondy (Accent Jobs-Wanty), Stijn Neirinck (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Sébastien Delfosse (Crelan-Euphony) and Filip Eidsheim (Øster Hus-Ridley), but it was unable to build a lead that exceeded much more than a minute and a half.
Aggression from Nordhaug saw him pull teammate Vanmarcke, Haller and Tulik clear in the final 40km, with the Norwegian going alone 27km from the line. He was rejoined by Vanmarcke, but the duo was caught with just eight kilometres left.
Belkin’s aggression continued as Paul Martens attacked with just over a kilometre and a half left, but the German was caught by the lead out train of Argos-Shimano before he could reach the finishing straight. Van Hummel then jumped around the white-clad team and sprinted away to take his first win of the season and the first ever leader’s jersey in the Norwegian race.
Result stage 1
1. Kenny van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
2. Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
3. Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Katusha Team
4. Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team
5. Jetse Bol (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
6. Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano
7. Jo Kogstad Ringheim (Nor) Team People4You-UNAAS Cycling
8. Amund Grondal Jansen (Nor) Team Plussbank
9. Ralf Matzka (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura
10. Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Cofidis, solutions credits
Standings after stage 1
1. Kenny van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
2. Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM @ 4s
3. Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Katusha Team @ 6s
4. Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team Europcar
5. Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team @ 7s
6. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling
7. Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System
8. Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Accent.jobs-Wanty
9. Jetse Bol (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling
10. Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano