“What he is doing here is quite special" - Groupama-FDJ proud of 19-year-old Arctic Race of Norway leader Noah Hobbs

Two stages down at the Arctic Race of Norway and it's 19-year-old, Groupama - FDJ rider, Noah Hobbs who sits in the overall race lead after a very impressive couple of days.

“He is a rider of the English school,” says Jérôme Gannat of Groupama - FDJ in conversation about his new starlet to Wielerflits. “In the winter months he rides on the track, including six days. In November he will participate in the Six Days of Ghent.”

On his performances in the Arctic Race of Norway, Ganaat was full of pride. “What he is doing here is quite special. This is his first year with our team and we are here with four riders aged nineteen and two aged twenty, and now suddenly we have the leader of the race in our team," he says glowingly. "For Noah, this is his first race at this level (2.Pro)"

"Of course I didn't expect this, but I'm glad it's turning out like this for me for the time being," Hobbs himself said post-stage. “I try not to let the fact that I am only 19 years old play a role. I race like I always race and with that I see how far I get. If you look at my results, it seems that I do well in worse conditions; wind, rain and cold, but to be honest, I like riding in the heat just as much.”