"I thought this is a breakaway to get on television. I didn't really have the idea that we would make it" - Andreas Leknessund on his final stage victory in Arctic Race of Norway

Andreas Leknessund won the final stage in the Arctic Race of Norway with enough time to jump to the top position in GC and win the tour. He rode solo for most of the race, but the rider says he did not expect the victory.

"I felt pretty bad yesterday, so today I just wanted to see how the legs would react," Leknessund said. He continues, "I wanted to wait for the local laps. Only it kept raining attacks, so then we decided that the whole team should take turns. After a while, I started to feel better, and I ended up in a leading group of three. At first, I thought this is a breakaway to get on television. I didn't really have the idea that we would make it."

He was enjoying the support of viewers who gathered to watch the race, the rider says he did not expect he can win till the final kilometer. "My goal was just to ride one lap by myself, just to enjoy the crowd. It's in Norway, so I know so many people here. But once I got going, I just went full. I only started to believe in it on the last lap, or actually the last kilometer. It was very hard. I expected them to come from behind very hard, especially on the climb, which was steeper and tougher than expected," said Leknessund.

He concluded with, "It's really nice, especially after yesterday. I grew up in Tromsø, way up north. This is my home race. I watched this race as a little boy. It's one of the reasons I started cycling, it's incredible."