UAE Team Emirates star Vegard Stake Laengen cruised to a first victory on his sixth attempt at the Norwegian National Road Race Championships.
The 29-year-old, who is in his second season with the UAE outfit, reached the finish line in Sandefjord, 13 seconds ahead of Rasmus Tiller and 29 ahead of Kristian Aasvold.
Of the 65 cyclists participating in the country’s most prestigious cycling event, Laengen stormed clear of the field thanks in part to the industrious work of UAE teammates Alexander Kristoff and Sven Bystrom.
It was Laengen’s sixth win of his career, with his last triumph coming two years ago in the overall classification in the Tour de l’Alsace in northeastern France.
The Fredrikstad native has enjoyed a mixed 2018 campaign to date, but success on home soil should boost his confidence ahead of a crucial month in which he could be selected in the UAE team for the Tour de France.
Laengen said: “The support of Bystrom and Kristoff was fundamental to allow me to be there in the final phases of such an important race for me.
“In the final kilometres, I was able to get into the decisive attack with the nine other attackers. And knowing that I had little chance in the sprint, I jumped early at four kilometres remaining and I was able to get to the line alone, giving my team a lot of joy.
“It’s a beautiful win, I’ll carry this jersey in every race now for the next year.”
