It's time for the first stage that goes towards determining the GC and it's a flat 30km TT.
Phinney is the bookies favourite here. Wurtz joins him as being the 2 to watch here. They will want to get at much time as possible between themselves and the better puncheurs who will be going for it on Stage 4 and 5.
Predatsch sets a strong early time of 36'09.
Verona is the first to beat this time and go under 36 minutes with a 35'43.
Frison then beats this convincingly with a time of 35'21.
But he is beaten shortly after by Van Niekerk with 35'09 which looks a very competitive time.
Christodoulos puts in a respectable time of 35'38 to go provisional 3rd.
Korsaeth just moves into 3rd with the same time as the aforementioned.
Hepburn is only 1 second off of the current quickest so he moves into 2nd.
His team mate Schadlich can only go 3rd, + 8".
Yatsevich won't be happy with that one as he is 30 seconds behind Van Niekerk, down in provisional 7th.
Fraile is provisional 7th, + 24" to Van Niekerk.
The first of the big boys and it's Wurtz absolutely cleans up as he puts in a time of 34'30, 38 seconds faster than Van Niekerk who is still 2nd.
Ivo Oliveira is + 45" on Wurtz in provisional 4th on the stage.
Wirtgen goes + 41" to Wurtz.
The real battle of the day though, can Phinney beat Wurtz? He comes through the time check and they're level!
It's finish line time for the American and the answer is…. NO. He is 12 seconds slower which shows just how good that time was from Wurtz.
Now we take a lot at some of the other pre-race GC names to understand the time they need to gain on the next 2 stages. All times are compared to Wurtz.
Vakoc isn't the best TT rider, + 3'53 probably rules him out of contention here unless he pulls off something from long range.
Boasson Hagen would have hoped for better but he's + 3'33.
De Bie is left with a very tough task at + 3'01.
Gidich is + 2'12. He's got a big task ahead of him but better than those before him.
Izagirre is + 1'29 which gives him a solid shot at a decent GC place.
Dunbar disappoints as he should really be within 2 minutes but he is + 2'23. It's really not been a great week for Indosat
And that's all she wrote here on Stage 3. It was a very strong ride from Wurtz. Phinney takes 2nd. These 2 were a class above everyone else today. We will however give plaudits to Van Niekerk who sat in the hotseat for a long time and walks away with 3rd on the stage.
Tour of Norway - Stage 3 Report 
