Arctic Race of Norway: Taaramäe drives late-race break to secure overall win

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Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing Team) won the final stage of the Arctic Race of Norway but the day really belonged to Rein Taaramäe (Astana), who attacked inside the final 25 kilometres and dislodged overnight leader Ben Hermans (BMC).

The Astana rider started the stage seven seconds down in the overall but, along with teammate Tanel Kangert, Dillier and llnur Zakarin (Katusha), he opened up an unbridgeable gap on the final circuits of the stage.

Hermans was left isolated and was unable to close the gap with Taaramäe in particular helping the lead push out towards 50 seconds. Dillier marked the move and won the sprint to give BMC something to smile about, while Zakarin finished second and Taaramae third.

The Estonian sealed the overall with Dillier at 8 seconds and Zakarin at 31.

How it unfolded

It wasn't long before a group of seven riders formed with Reidar Borgersen (Joker), Maxime Cam (Bretagne-Séché Environnement), Filip Eidsheim (FixIT.no), Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling), Robert Förster (UnitedHealthcare), Gert Joeaar (Cofidis) and Ramon Sinkeldam (Giant-Alpecin) going clear. They took their time to establish a lead but were able to push out to over three minutes with 100 kilometres remaining.

The chase, managed by BMC and Europcar, reduced the leaders to just over a minute with Can and Elmiger providing the last resistance as the peloton came back into Narvik for the tough final circuits.

A mechanical for race leader Ben Hermans disrupted BMC's momentum briefly, while on a small rise on the finish circuit Davide Frattini (UnitedHealthcare) put in a strong attack. The former winner of the Baby Giro was caught by the Katusha-led pack with the remnants of the break just 17 seconds clear with 27 kilometres to go.

With the break reeled in August Jensen (Team Coop-Oster Hus) skipped clear, and picked up the points on the next climb, enough to put him joint top in the competition on twelve points, level with his teammate Haavard Blikra.

By now the punishing circuits were beginning to take their toll and Astana made their move, sending second placed Taaramae up the road with Tanel Kangert for company. Zakarin was also in the move and BMC were forced to chase on their own with the gap growing to 19 seconds with just 16km remaining.

Hermans, at this point, was alone and forced to lead the chase singlehandedly.

With 14 kilometres to go the lead group consisted of Zakarin, Taaramae and Dillier, the latter ordered to follow but not to collaborate.

The race looked to be swinging in Taaramae’s favour but it was Zakarin who struck with 7 kilometres to go, attacking on the final lap and distancing his breakaway companions. Hermans had slipped to 53 seconds, his overall ambitions all but over.

Taaramae, meanwhile, made contact with the leaders on the descent and with 4 kilometres to go the overall win looked certain.

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