00:00Stage 2 of the Arctic Race. From Bajan, 178 kilometers to Vauska, the longest stage of
00:14this year's Arctic Race of Norway. Lots of nervous times, perhaps with the Queen stage
00:22still to come. Would it be one for the sprinters? Climbing straight out of the back door, this
00:27was a tough task. Mountains, you better believe it, and the man who wanted to be in that
00:34coveted jersey, the peacock jersey, found himself up front once again in the company
00:40of two from Co-op with Funja and Ingebrigtsen. Pejo also bridging over from Tudor Pro Cycling.
00:47The mountains points were up for grabs and a few other things as well, not least the
00:52stage win for somebody quick and hard. What a day in prospect, and it was time really
01:05to start winding in a break that had its head out there. An accord settled between them
01:12after a big battle for the opening KOM. Joenink almost guaranteed that jersey. Who would be
01:21guaranteed the win at the end of the day? Highly technical approach with two gravel
01:25sections and some really mean climbs in part of a double loop scenario at the very end.
01:32This is going to be a difficult task. Well, our breakaway still had an advantage at the
01:37first passage of the finish line. By the time we'd come round, we would have dealt with
01:42some gravel sections. And really, the break looked doomed. Simon Pejo, though, had belief.
01:50Joenink had done enough, we think, to secure that jersey. We'll find out in the next couple
01:56of days whether it will belong to him. The KOM would go to Simon Pejo, and no surprise,
02:03he was so very brave out there, kicking on, knowing there was a potential for a stage
02:09end. Well, sometimes obstacles present themselves, and it is the race towards them that is the
02:17problem. And we're starting to loom large, not only the last kickers, but also that coveted
02:24and desperate gravel section. We wanted it to be in the race. Please didn't. Crash, crash
02:31at the back of the van. Driving on through the dust, kicked up by the motorcycles and
02:38support cars that had to go by Simon Pejo. Everyone else was in a cloud. Once clear,
02:49dust on the wheels, some nervous times, punctures started to rain down on the unlucky. Simon
02:56Pejo took the bell. All hell about to break loose for those who have some fast legs and
03:06a strong-minded body. Here we go. Alexander Kristoff must not lose position here. He's
03:14on to the cobbles, stays with it. Van Aersbroek just on his inside here, and Kristoff still
03:20has the lead out. Almost a golden run for home, and there's some shoulders going on
03:25here as well in the battle for position. Oh, they're fighting loud and proud here, and
03:31now they come down and into town, and he's still got the lead out, Alexander Kristoff.
03:36This is almost a golden ride for him. My goodness, he's had to work hard to be in this
03:41position. Gagneri's in a good place, Tamino as well, but this now is a straight line all
03:47the way home, it seems. Oh, and he can't catch a good man sometimes. Will it be the blue
03:52jersey that rounds him at the very last here? We shall wait and see. The blue jersey is
03:57with Tom Van Aersbroek, and here comes Alexander Kristoff. Kristoff's going on the barriers.
04:02Van Aersbroek's following him at the moment. Alexander Kristoff looks like he's going
04:06to make it all the way up. No way through! Oh, the Viking delivers once again. Phenomenal.
04:12The leader of this race doubles his margin.
04:20Yeah, we had a great lead out again, and great work from Marcus and Rasmus during the stage,
04:26so I'm very happy and pleased with the team performance, and it's really cool and fun
04:30to be a part of such a good team like we are here.
04:43What a winner. Back-to-back victories for Alexander Kristoff, the Viking in charge.
04:50Van Aersbroek just trapped in by the very clever court, prevented from going by, Gianni
04:55missing out, and our glorious leader is Kristoff, staying in that coveted Midnight Sun jersey
05:02with an advantage of 10 seconds over Van Aersbroek going into the big climbing stage. He also
05:08earns points, of course, and made a big one today.
05:17Our king of the mountain. Has he done it? We think so. Johann Juk with a fantastic lead
05:23on 27 points. Peo nearest man to him on 13, and our young rider becomes Mauro Schmidt
05:32going into the Queen's stage tomorrow.
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