Cycling: Adam Toupalik (Corendon-Circus) surprisingly won the third stage of the Arctic Race of Norway. The Czech crosser was the only escape in front of the peloton. Second was his teammate Mathieu Van der Poel ahead of Sergei Chernetski (Astana).
6,8 km Nordkapp tunnel, 9 runaways & many reindeer
Today's Arctic Race of Norway covered 194,0 kilometers from Honningsvåg to Hammerfest. When the weather was good, many spectators stood at the destination at the roadside of an approx. eight-kilometer circuit that had to be mastered twice and was supposed to contain a dangerous incline. At first, however, the difficulties were very limited. But there was again a lot to admire from a landscape and architectural point of view. The peloton drove nine kilometers after the start through the Nordkapp tunnel and we discovered numerous reindeer on the side of the road. The leading group consisted of Willie smit (Katusha-Alpecin), Tom Wirtgen (WB-Veranclassic Aqua Protect), Johan LeBon (Vital Concept) Connor Swift (dimension data), Axel Journiaux (direct energy), Adam Toupalik (Corendon Circus) and Oivind Lukkedal (Coop-Oster Hus), as well as Robin Carpenter and Adam deVos by the Rally Cycling team.
Astana has to do the work alone
In the peloton, the responsibility for the tracking work was left to the Astana team. No wonder, because in the person of Sergei Chernetsky a driver of the Kazakh team wears the leader's jersey. The teams with pros in the lead group didn't get involved in the pursuit, of course, which is why the cyan shirts were the only ones we spotted at the front of the peloton for most of the race. The breakaway group – which was reduced to eight men by the time the circuit was reached – managed to extend the lead to just under four minutes. So it was clear that the stage winner for the leading group was within reach.
COME ON RUDOLPH!!! 🦌
😍 @visitnorway#Arcticrace pic.twitter.com/BwAxkz4sbB
— Arctic Race of Norway (@ArcticRaceofN) August 18, 2018
Adam Toupalik & Mathieu Van der Poel ensure the double victory
It was only when the teams Wanty-Groupe Gobert and BMC got involved in the tracking work and supported Astana that the gap to the leading group could be reduced. The eight leaders entered the city of Hammerfest with a lead of around a minute. The peloton came closer and closer, while the breakaway group slowly seemed to separate the wheat from the chaff. Gradually it was thinned out. I drove into the last lap Adam Toupalik, Johan Le Bon and Robin Carpenter only a trio in front of the approaching peloton, where it then rained on attacks. Among other things, BMC tried it Nicolas Roche, but also Cofidis and WB-Veranclassic Aqua Protect went on the offensive. But it should be enough for the outliers - at least for one of them. The 22-year-old crosser Adam Toupalik countered an attack by his companion Robin Carpenter and didn't let himself be caught up, not even by his teammate Mathieu van der Poel, who made the double victory for Corendon-Circus perfect. The very strong one here at the Arctic Race of Norway sprinted to third place Sergei Chernetsky, who was able to extend his lead in the overall standings.
1 & 2!
Festival in Hammerfest fore @CorCirCT and human crossers Adam Toupalik and Mathieu van der Poel #ArcticRace pic.twitter.com/4lZET8bGFJ— Eurosport Nederland (@Eurosport_NL) August 18, 2018