Stage 3 of the Tour of Norway is a flat 30 km out-and-back time trial. It is completely flat and completely straight so a pure test of a rider’s ability against the clock. The day is overcast and intermittent showers are forecast throughout the race.
After 2 stages where the sprinters got the spotlight this one is all about the TT specialists. The clear favorite is Ukrainian National Time Trial Champion Marlen Zmorka . He is one of 12 national TT champions on the start list. The full list of favorites includes:
Vanderaerden get the party started.
Brozyna is the first rider with any TT ability at the first time check and he sets the fastest time at 19’44, soon after that is bested by Gradek at 19’35. But he is bested in quick succession by Omer Goldstein (19 ’20), Tanfield (19’05) and then by the first of the TT specialists, home country favorite Haugard (18’41). Haugard is the first to break 19 minutes and beats the previous best by 24 seconds.
But it doesn’t seem to be a great day for the Norwegian as his time is soon beaten by Campenaerts (18’29), on paper a weaker rider. But Campenaerts is quickly passed as Howson sets a new best time – 18’13.
The top 5 at the first checkpoint now looks like this:
1 Howson 18’13
2 Campenaerts +0’16
3 Haugard +0’28
4 Tanfield +0’52
5 Omer Goldstein +1’07
It will be a while before the next major rider passes the check point so the action moves to the finish as Haugard establishes a time of 35’58. But that is quickly passed by Campenaerts (35’42) who adds 4 seconds in the second half of the race over Haugard. But Campenaerts has barely warmed the hot seat when Howson finishes at 35’24. He also slightly expands his lead in the second half, so far performances are consistent between the 1st and 2nd half.
Back at the first time check another TT champion passes through, Israeli Champion Roy Goldstein. But he can’t beat Howson and slots into 3rd at +0’20 seconds.
The new top 5 at the first check is:
1 Howson 18’13
2 Campenaerts +0’16
3 Goldstein +0’20
4 Haugard +0’28
5 Tanfield +0’52
The first of the top puncheurs is now on the course, Claeys, not only is he not a great TT rider but it has also started to rain. By the first time check he has already lost 2’32.
Atkins is the next top rider at the time check and he slots into 5th at +0’48 seconds.
Off the camera at the finish Roy Goldstein comes home and he has made up 21 seconds in the second half to beat Howson by a second to take over the lead.
Another punchuer McCarthy goes through the intermediate time check and he has lost 3’36 but he is one of the weakest TT riders in that group. He is followed by Steensen (+0’31) and Eritrean TT champion Kiflay who puts in a good time 21 seconds off Howson, good enough for 4th. Soon after him an even better time by Czech champion Turek only 10 seconds off the pace. An excellent time given he is not one of the very top TT riders.
So the top 5 at the intermediate check are now:
1 Howson 18’13
2 Turek +0’10
3 Campenaerts +0’16
4 Goldstein +0’20
5 Kiflay +0’21
At the finish Claeys (+4’06) and soon after McCarthy (+6’06) cross the line. Both did slightly better in the second half but have some big gaps to make up
Atkins finishes +0’57 but the next rider with a shot at a podium is Kiflay. But he doesn’t make up any time and finishes 20 second down, still 4th.
Right behind him is Turek, who had a great first half. He does even better in the second half gaining 5 seconds but it isn’t enough and he slots into 3rd.
The top 5 at the finish are now:
1 Goldstein 35’23
2 Howson +0’01
3 Turek +0’05
4 Campenaerts +0’19
5 Kiflay +0’20
The rain has stopped now and at the time check Team Tinkoff’s Vorobev comes across and he is just 2 seconds off Howson’s time.
Boaro (+0’17) and Christian (+0’20) pass the intermediate check in 5th and 6th, solid times for both of them.
Top 5 at the first time check are
1 Howson 18’13
2 Vorobev +0’02
3 Turek +0’10
4 Campenaerts +0’16
5 Boaro +0’17
At the finish Vorobev powers across with a great second half, he has eliminated his 2 second deficit and put an additional 17 seconds into Goldstein’s time.
Soon after Boaro (+0’21) and Christian (+0’22) finish in 4th and 6th respectively.
The top 5 at the finish are now:
1 Vorobev 35’06
2 Goldstein +0’17
3 Howson +0’18
4 Boaro +0’21
5 Turek +0’22
The next important rider through the intermediate check is one of the top allrounders - Sepulveda. He comes through the intermediate check at +0’44 seconds to Vorobev. An excellent time not far off some of the pure TT riders.
And Sepulveda holds it to the end and finishes just +0’55 from Vorobev.
After Sepulveda we get some more of the puncheurs finishing the course, all have significant time losses although Bakelants has the best time by one of the pure puncheurs and Vakoc put in a good 2nd half: Bakelants (I: +1’54/F: +2’51) Boswell (+2’51/+4’01) Vakoc (+2’55/+3:36)
Next we have more of the top TT guys at the intermediate check. But it has started raining again and the wind must have shifted as times seem to be suffering. Yatsevich, on paper one of the top riders, loses +1’17 in the first check and is only 24th.
Another top contender, Dal Col, loses +1’22 and Cataford can only match Dal Col. While Rosskopf a similar rider to Sepulveda loses +1’41, 57 seconds more than Sepulveda at the first check.
The riders are getting the wind at their back on the second half now and Yatsevich (9th place, +0’44) and Dal Col (12th, +0’52) make up time in the second half but not enough to offset their tough first half.
Cataford is unable to make the same progress and finishes +1’14 down. Rosskopf can’t make up time but limits his losses. He finishes at +1’59 but more importantly +1’04 to Sepulveda. Sagan finishes at +3’07 but only +0’16 to Bakelants.
Back at the intermediate check some more of the TT specialist have roled thorugh: Kung (+0:44), Malori (+0’39) and the favorite Zmorka who can’t crack the top 5 but is much closer at 19 seconds off the pace.
Earlier Goldstein and Vorobev were able to pick up 20 seconds in the 2nd half and more recently Yatsevich and Dal Col were able to pick up 30 seconds. So it isn’t over for the favorite.
But before we get to the finish again we have two more big names at the intermediate time check: Hepburn (+0’40) can only mange 13th and Sergent (+0’27) is in 10th. It will take strong 2nd half rides from the Podium Ambition duo to make up those losses.
Then Fraile, crosses the first check and he is 46 seconds off the pace only good for 18th and the last big TT rider Viviani isn’t any better. These two aren’t going to win today.
Back to the finish. First Xero allrounder Bazhkou comes in at +1’15, only 18 seconds behind Sepulveda. Next come Kung (+0:40) and Malori (+0’31) they have gained only small amounts, they sit in 7th and 9th place.
The next rider in, having passed his minute-man, is the powerful Ukranian, has he made up the time?
The time comes up: 35’00, and he has done it. Zmorka moves into first by 6 seconds. Next in is Hepburn (+0:34) seconds good enough for 8th.
Then comes Sergent. Given Fraile and Viviani’s poor first half times Sergent is the last one with a chance to beat Zmorka.
Zmorka did the second half in 16’28. To take the win Sergent needs to ride 16’18. The best 2nd half time so far is Yatsevich at 16’20 so Sergent will need a great time. He fights all the way to the line:
And he can’t do it, his second half was 2 seconds slower than Zmorka and he finishes in 3rd 10 seconds adrift. Marlen Zmorka of Repsol - Netflix will win Stage 3 of the Tour of Norway and wear yellow tomorrow.
Fraile finishes in 10th (+0’37) and Viviani comes in 12th (+0’39).
Now there only allrounders and punchuers left on course. The first to finish may be the most important. Izagirre finishes at +1’17 giving him a big advantage over most of the puncheurs but a 15 second deficit to Sepulveda.
Another allrounder Bibby loses +1’44 and his teammate Kangert comes in at 1’31, just 14 seconds off Izagirre.
Three of the puncheurs are the last major riders to finish, Ulissi (+5’21), Gautier (+5’14) and Ponzi (+3’53). Ponzi loses almost a minute to Bakelants.
Van der Sande enjoys his last moments in yellow. He loses 7’04.
So the race is balanced as expected going into Stage 4. Izagirre, Kangert and Sepulveda will want a hard enough race so they can gain the minute or so they need on the TT stars but not hard enough to let the likes of Bakelants back into the race. The GC situation for all the top allrounders and puncheurs is:
9
Fraile
+ 38
14
Oliveira
+ 51
18
Sepulveda
+ 1'02
27
Izagirre
+ 1'17
32
Bazhkou
s.t.
37
Kangert
+ 1'32
43
Bibby
+ 1'45
49
Rosskopf
+ 2'06
66
Bakelants
+ 2'58
67
Jensen
+ 3'02
71
Sagan
+ 3'14
87
Vakoc
s.t.
96
Ponzi
+ 3'54
104
Boswell
+ 4'08
117
Claeys
+ 4'30
133
Gautier
+ 5'11
137
Ulissi
+ 5'22
160
McCarthy
+ 6'30
Van der Sande retains the points jersey, Pichon retains the mountains jersey, Cosnefroy is now the best young rider ahead of Van Niekerk. Tanfield matched Cosnefroy in the TT but lost time on the flat stages. Team Tinkoff leads the team standings ahead of Podium Ambition.
Tour of Norway
