Arctic Race of Norway: Kristoff wins photo-finish sprint against Degenkolb in Rognan

John Degenkolb was inches away from securing his first victory of the season on the opening day of the Arctic Race of Norway, but faulty gears allowed Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) to come through and take his fourth victory in three years at his home race.

Degenkolb, who has been steadily gaining form ever since making his comeback from the Giant-Alpecin training crash in January, launched his sprint first in Rognan, but his gears started jumping and he had to pedal with a frantically high cadence in a desperate bid to hold his lead to the line.

He almost did, but Kristoff, who hadn't won since May, was coming through strongly, with Danny van Poppel (Team Sky) a more distant third.

"Degenkolb had a good lead-out and was really fast but his gears were jumping and I managed to pass him," said Kristoff, who graciously acknowledged that he wouldn't have beaten his rival in normal circumstances.

"It was lucky for me. He did a good sprint and I think I'd have had a hard time coming past him, because he timed really well, but at the end his gears were jumping and I got past, so I'm happy."

The 180.5km stage from Fauske to Rognan featured a first-category climb that crested 18km from the line but despite the best efforts of breakaway member Andreas Schillinger (Bora-Argon 18), the race came back together for a bunch kick.

Schillinger had been in a breakaway of seven riders for much of the blustery day, along with Krister Hagen (Coop-Oster Hus), Maxime Cam (Fortuneo-Vital Concept), Tom Van Asbroeck (LottoNL-Jumbo), Gregory Rast (Trek-Segafredo), Kenny de Ketele (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) and Max Emil Boholm Korner (Ringeriks–Kraft).

They had a lead of seven minutes at one point but it all split up half-way up the climb, with Schillinger breaking free and Rast doing his best to stay in sight. Despite cresting with a lead of 1:30, the Bora man was soon brought to within touching distance and was caught on the flat with a few kilometres remaining.

It was Trek who did the work in the final 5km, but Niccolo Bonifazio lacked a strong kick and it became a duel between old foes Degenkolb and Kristoff, with the German cruelly made to wait for that first post-injury victory.

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