The first stage of the Arctic Race of Norway 2025 speaks New Zealand. Leveraging all of his explosiveness in the final 500 meters uphill, Corbin Strong indeed imposed himself at the Harstad finish line, relegating his teammate Riley Sheehan to 2nd place and Rasmus Tiller (Uno-X Mobility) to 3rd.

Recently victorious in a stage and the overall classification of the Tour de Wallonie, the Israel-Premier Tech rider with today's success also seized the first yellow leader's jersey of the race.

THE RACE REPORT. The stage starts under the rain and in the first kilometers, despite several attacks, no one manages to escape from the group. After the 1st mountain GPM (won by Inkelaar from Unibet Tietema Rockets over Fougner), however, Romain Combaud (Team PiciNic PostNL), Abram Stockman (Unibet Tietema Rockets), Vetle Torin Eskedal (Team Norway) and Storm Ingebrigtsen (Team Coop-Repsol) break away from the peloton and, reached after the intermediate sprint (1st Ingebrigtsen) placed on the finish line by Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X) and Georg Martinsen (Lillehammer CK Continental Team), manage to build a 1'15" advantage. Behind, Q36.5, XDS-Astana, PicNic PostNL and Cofidis take turns in the chase, ensuring the gap does not exceed 1'30". The breakaway riders, in any case, manage to contest both mountain GPMs at Storjorda and Sollia (both won by Ingebrigtsen) and the second intermediate sprint (1st Dversnes) before seeing their margin progressively decrease to around 40" with 45 km to go. Fifteen kilometers later, at the third passage towards the Storjorda GPM, Ingebrigtsen has time to secure the last available points (and the first "northern lights" climbers jersey) before the group reabsorbs all attackers.

Kern Pharma then takes charge of setting the pace for a long time until the last 6 kilometers when the attempt by Sven Bystrom (Team Norway) and Erik Vang (Team Coop-Repsol) is thwarted by the men of Israel, Uno-X and Totalenergies. The race thus comes down to a sprint where Corbin Strong manages the effort best in the last 500 meters, closing in order ahead of his teammate Sheehan, Tiller, Rick Pluimers (Tudor Pro Cycling), Jenthe Biermans (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Karsten Feldmann (Team Coop-Repsol) and Davide Ballerini (XDS-Astana), thus celebrating his third success in 13 days and, as a cherry on top, wearing both the overall leader's jersey and the points classification jersey.

Both leaderships could be successfully defended by the New Zealander tomorrow in the Tennevoll (Lavangen)-Sørreisa stage, a 153-kilometer route with a profile suitable for fast wheels where the main challenge will be the three gravel sections to be tackled in the last 36 kilometers.

FINISH ORDER

1. Corbin Strong (NZL/Israel-Premier Tech) - 4:02:22

2. Riley Sheehan (USA/Israel-Premier Tech) - s.t.

3. Rasmus Tiller (NOR/Uno-X Mobility) - s.t.

4. Rick Pluimers (NED/Tudor Pro Cycling) - s.t.

5. Jenthe Biermans (BEL/Arkéa-B&B Hotels) - s.t.

6. Karsten Larsen Feldmann (NOR/Coop-Repsol) - s.t.

7. Davide Ballerini (ITA/XDS-Astana) - s.t.

8. Tord Gudmestad (NOR/Norway Selection) - s.t.

9. Pau Miquel (ESP/Kern Pharma) - s.t.

10. Clément Champoussin (FRA/XDS-Astana) - s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Corbin Strong (NZL/Israel-Premier Tech) - 4:02:12

2. Riley Sheehan (USA/Israel-Premier Tech) at 0:04

3. Fredrik Dversnes (NOR/Uno-X Mobility) at 0:04

4. Romain Combaud (FRA/Picnic-PostNL) at 0:04

5. Rasmus Tiller (NOR/Uno-X Mobility) at 0:06

6. Abram Stockman (BEL/Unibet Tietema Rockets) at 0:09

7. Rick Pluimers (NED/Tudor Pro Cycling) at 0:10

8. Jenthe Biermans (BEL/Arkéa-B&B Hotels) at 0:10

9. Karsten Larsen Feldmann (NOR/Coop-Repsol) at 0:10

10. Davide Ballerini (ITA/XDS-Astana) at 0:10

OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS

Points Classification: Corbin Strong (NZL/Israel-Premier Tech)

Mountain Classification: Storm Ingebrigtsen (NOR/Team Coop-Repsol)

Young Rider Classification: Corbin Strong (NZL/Israel-Premier Tech)

Team Classification: XDS-Astana