“I searched for it a lot this year” – Giovanni Lonardi ends long wait for victory by beating Arctic Race sprint favourites in Norway
Cycling
Giovanni Lonardi could barely hide his relief after finally turning a season of near-misses into victory on Stage 1 of the 2026 Arctic Race of Norway.
The Team Polti VisitMalta sprinter beat Jason Tesson and Riley Pickrell in Myre after his team committed heavily to the finale, while pre-stage favourites Ethan Vernon and Erlend Blikra had to settle for fifth and fourth respectively.
The Italian had been searching for a win throughout 2026 and finally found it after Polti delivered him into position for the decisive sprint.
"I'm super happy, I searched for it a lot this year and it comes today," Lonardi said after the finish. "I'm very, very happy and also the team did an amazing job today. I have no words, I searched for it a lot and I win today."
Lonardi turns difficult season into breakthrough win
Lonardi had arrived in Norway without a victory this season despite repeatedly putting himself into contention. Even his recent racing at the Tour of Denmark had not left him entirely convinced he was ready to finish the job.
"I think that I'm in good shape," he explained. "In the Tour of Denmark last week I tried to win, but I don't have the best feeling this year to try to do a sprint like this, but we did everything good today and I win."
Polti had helped control the race from relatively early on, working alongside NSN Cycling Team and Uno-X Mobility before the closing kilometres became increasingly chaotic. After the five-man breakaway was finally reeled in with around three kilometres remaining, Polti moved three riders towards the front and gave Lonardi the platform he needed.
Tesson was the first to open his sprint, but Lonardi came through strongly to take the win and immediately move into the overall race lead. His success also came on a day when Vernon, widely regarded as one of the fastest riders in the field, was unable to properly launch after NSN lost contact with him during the final lead-out.
Another sprint chance already awaits
Lonardi will not have to wait long for another opportunity. Stage 2 from Bo i Vesteralen to Andenes is even more favourable for the sprinters, with very little climbing and another bunch finish expected.
"Today the plan was to win, tomorrow also is a good stage for me, I think, maybe another sprint," Lonardi said.
Polti's ambitions extend beyond the fast finishes. With the race turning towards much tougher terrain on Stages 3 and 4, Lonardi expects responsibility to shift towards the team's overall contenders once the sprint opportunities are gone.
"Then the next two days we have two good riders to do the GC, so we will see day by day."
Lonardi therefore heads into Stage 2 in the leader's jersey, with another sprint opportunity immediately in front of him and Polti still holding ambitions for the harder stages to come.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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