After riding for his teammates during the first stages, Simone Petilli joined the breakaway this Saturday during the fourth stage of the Tour of Norway. The Italian occupied the front of the race within a group of twenty riders, who benefited from up to five minutes.
The peloton was however able to control the gap with the fugitives, so that the last survivor was within reach at the start of the local circuit of Sandnes, which included an 800 meter climb with gradients of 10% average.
Surrounded by three teammates on the last lap, Alexander Kristoff hung on to contest a possible sprint, but the riders in the general classification then accelerated in the last difficulty and only eight riders were able to fight for the honors. Laurens Huys, who was among these riders, took seventh place and retains his seventh place overall.
« It was good that we were represented with the team in the breakaway, even though the cooperation in the front was not good enough to battle for the stage victory. Several teams didn’t want to collaborate, so I tried to split the group with accelerations. I’m satisfied with my day in the front, especially because with this headwind it was probably more comfortable than in the peloton. In the end of the stage, Laurens Huys managed to keep his position in the classification, which was an important goal today. Alexander Kristoff also showed again how strong he is by following the peloton on the final climb. We will again try our best to enable him to sprint for the victory in his native city. I know the final in Stravanger since the Hammer Series in 2018, at the time I already rode alongside Alexander. »
