"It is a great relief for myself, but also for the team" - Alexander Kristoff takes great meaning from Tour of Norway win

Alexander Kristoff had made his winning debut this year at the Volta ao Algarve, however the Norwegian sprinter had then struggled to get the strong results. After a busy spring, he returned to the top step in the final day of the Tour of Norway.

“It is a great relief for myself, but also for the team. We haven't had much luck in recent days, so we haven't been able to win yet," he said in a post-race interview. He had struggled with the hilly terrain, but the final day into Stavanger proved not to be too difficult for the veteran. "I have also had a few difficult days. It is the first time that Uno-X is successful in the Tour of Norway. That barrier has now been broken."

Uno-X had a return of Tobias Johannessen to good form, however the race wasn't tough enough for him to climb onto the GC podium. The main objective for the team was then to win a stage and Kristoff was one of the few who tried. With a leadout from national champion Rasmus Tiller, Kristoff managed to outsprint Tobias Lund Andresen and Jordi Meeus to the line on the final day of the race.

“We were actually a bit too far in the sprint preparation. I told Rasmus Tiller he could go on, but he just ran out of room. As a result, he had to wait a hundred meters and it became a close call. Fortunately, it still worked out and I can go on stage with my sons," Kristoff concluded. The Tour de France is in sights, but before the 35-year old is hoping to ride the Baloise Belgium Tour.