{"id":2736,"date":"2025-05-31T20:59:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-31T18:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/?p=2736"},"modified":"2025-06-01T17:05:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-01T15:05:33","slug":"van-gils-denies-brennan-as-gc-battle-intensifies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/van-gils-denies-brennan-as-gc-battle-intensifies\/","title":{"rendered":"Van Gils beats the rest as GC battle intensifies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n  <section class=\"hero-subpage\">\n\n    <div class=\"hero-subpage-grid grid-12 grid-m-8 grid-s-4 inline-padding fade-me\">\n\n      <div class=\"img-wrapper\">\n\n                  <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-1920x1280.jpg\" class=\"attachment-hero size-hero wp-post-image\" alt=\"Sg1 9574\" loading=\"eager\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>        \n        \n        <div class=\"skew\">\n\n                                \n          \n                      <a class=\"share-toggle hide-for-medium-down\">Share<\/a>\n            <div class=\"social-ballon\">\n              <ul class=\"share-list\">\n                <li class=\"facebook-icon\">\n                  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=<br \/>\n<b>Warning<\/b>:  Undefined variable $link in <b>\/srv\/web4\/tourofnorway\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/themes\/tourofnorway-live\/blocks\/hero-subpage\/hero-subpage.php<\/b> on line <b>64<\/b><br \/>\n&#8221; target=&#8221;_blank&#8221;>\n                    <svg style=\"width:24px;height:24px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                      <path fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M17,2V2H17V6H15C14.31,6 14,6.81 14,7.5V10H14L17,10V14H14V22H10V14H7V10H10V6A4,4 0 0,1 14,2H17Z\" \/>\n                    <\/svg>\n                  <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                <li class=\"twitter-icon\">\n                  <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=<br \/>\n<b>Warning<\/b>:  Undefined variable $link in <b>\/srv\/web4\/tourofnorway\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/themes\/tourofnorway-live\/blocks\/hero-subpage\/hero-subpage.php<\/b> on line <b>71<\/b><br \/>\n&#8221; target=&#8221;_blank&#8221;>\n                    <svg style=\"width:24px;height:24px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                      <path fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M22.46,6C21.69,6.35 20.86,6.58 20,6.69C20.88,6.16 21.56,5.32 21.88,4.31C21.05,4.81 20.13,5.16 19.16,5.36C18.37,4.5 17.26,4 16,4C13.65,4 11.73,5.92 11.73,8.29C11.73,8.63 11.77,8.96 11.84,9.27C8.28,9.09 5.11,7.38 3,4.79C2.63,5.42 2.42,6.16 2.42,6.94C2.42,8.43 3.17,9.75 4.33,10.5C3.62,10.5 2.96,10.3 2.38,10C2.38,10 2.38,10 2.38,10.03C2.38,12.11 3.86,13.85 5.82,14.24C5.46,14.34 5.08,14.39 4.69,14.39C4.42,14.39 4.15,14.36 3.89,14.31C4.43,16 6,17.26 7.89,17.29C6.43,18.45 4.58,19.13 2.56,19.13C2.22,19.13 1.88,19.11 1.54,19.07C3.44,20.29 5.7,21 8.12,21C16,21 20.33,14.46 20.33,8.79C20.33,8.6 20.33,8.42 20.32,8.23C21.16,7.63 21.88,6.87 22.46,6Z\" \/>\n                    <\/svg>\n                  <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n              <\/ul>\n            <\/div>\n          \n        <\/div>\n\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"hero-subpage-wrapper\">\n\n        \n                  <h1>Van Gils beats the rest as GC battle intensifies<\/h1>\n        \n                  <div class=\"excerpt-wrapper grid-8\">\n\n            <div class=\"line\"><\/div>\n\n                          <p class=\"excerpt\"><\/p>\n            \n          <\/div>\n        \n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n  <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n  <section class=\"text-editor block grey\">\n\n    <div class=\"text-editor-grid grid-12 grid-m-8 grid-s-4 inline-padding fade-me\">\n\n              <div class=\"text-editor-wrapper\">\n          <p>Surrounded by stunning fjord and mountain landscapes, Stage 3 of the Tour of Norway began in J\u00f8rpeland, in the municipality of Strand.<\/p>\n<p>This town of around 7,500 inhabitants is just a short drive from Stavanger, via the world\u2019s longest subsea tunnel. J\u00f8rpeland has previously served as both a start and finish location for the race. In 2021, Stage 3 ended in a bunch sprint \u2014 where a certain Danish rider by the name of Mads Pedersen took the win ahead of local favorite Alexander Kristoff.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s course featured no fewer than six categorized climbs and a total of 2,500 meters of elevation over the 142-kilometer stage. With the newly introduced uphill finish on Heia \u2014 a 2.2-kilometer climb averaging 7.7% \u2014 which would be tackled three times in total, the stage was widely expected to be decisive for the general classification. Heading into the day, Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike) held a 12-second lead over Victor Langellotti (INEOS Grenadiers), with Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck) a further three seconds behind. Stage 1 hero and top Norwegian overall, Storm Ingebrigtsen (Team Coop\u2013Repsol), was just one second behind Langellotti in the GC battle.<\/p>\n<p>Five riders managed to break clear of the peloton early on \u2014 among them Storm Ingebrigtsen and his breakaway companion from Stage 1, Trym Brenns\u00e6ter (Norwegian National Team). The other riders in the breakaway were Joshua Gudnitz (Team ColoQuick), Dylan Vandenstorme (Team Flanders\u2013Baloise), and Jonas Gregaard (Lotto). Kasper Haugland (Norwegian National Team) had his eyes on the polka-dot jersey and managed to bridge across to the leaders, making it six riders up front for the first ascent of the finishing climb to Heia. Gudnitz was first to crest the category 3 climb and earned 4 points. The 23-year-old now had his sights set on the KOM jersey worn by teammate Emil Toudal.<\/p>\n<p>The breakaway group was surprisingly split early on when Gudnitz, Vandenstorme, and Gregaard attacked and distanced the Norwegian riders. The trio built up a lead of over three minutes on the bunch, with Gudnitz claiming more KOM points on the category 3 climb to \u00c5satj\u00f8rna, enough to take over the mountain classification lead. On the third categorized climb of the day, Hjelmelandsbakken, Vegard Stake Laengen went to the front of the peloton and halved the gap to the leaders. Gudnitz added another 6 points at the top, tightening his grip on the climber\u2019s jersey.<\/p>\n<p>Halfway up the fourth climb \u2014 the steep Heggheim ascent \u2014 the trio was caught. Jelle Johannink (Tour de Tietema\u2013Unibet) crested the climb first and continued solo. On the penultimate ascent of the Heia climb, drama unfolded as Juan Guillermo Martinez (Team Picnic\u2013PostNL) attacked from the front of the peloton and surged past Johannink just before the finish line. Martinez believed he had taken the stage win \u2014 but the 20-year-old\u2019s dream quickly turned into a nightmare when he realized there was still one more ascent of the finishing climb to go.<\/p>\n<p>What followed was a fierce pace and chaotic battle for position as the final climb up to Heia approached. The 2.2-kilometer ascent became an all-out brawl as everyone tried to drop Team Visma | Lease a Bike\u2019s Matthew Brennan.<\/p>\n<p>But he proved incredibly tough to crack and only faded in the final meters. Red Bull\u2013BORA\u2013Hansgrohe rider Maxim Van Gils managed to claw his way past the Brit, who still finished second and once again showcased his enormous talent. Victor Langellotti (INEOS Grenadiers) secured another third place and now sits second overall, 18 seconds behind Brennan.<\/p>\n<p>The best-placed Norwegian was \u00c5dne Holter (Uno-X Mobility), who fought for the win deep into the finale and crossed the line in a strong 7th place. J\u00f8rgen Nordhagen (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Odd Christian Eiking (Tour de Tietema\u2013Unibet) followed closely behind in 8th and 9th, respectively.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      \n    <\/div>\n\n  <\/section>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2721,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"slim_seo":{"title":"Van Gils beats the rest as GC battle intensifies - Tour of Norway","description":""},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,45],"class_list":["post-2736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-men-elite-en"],"acf":[],"featured_image":"<img width=\"500\" height=\"333\" src=\"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-500x333.jpg\" class=\"attachment-article size-article\" alt=\"Sg1 9574\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SG1_9574-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2736"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2736\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2798,"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2736\/revisions\/2798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tourofnorway.no\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}