10.03.2024

– One of the toughest editions we have had in the history of the race

The courses for this year's Tour of Norway have been announced, and it is a challenging edition awaiting the riders – perhaps one of the toughest in the history of the race, according to general manager of Tour of Norway, Roy Hegreberg. A return to previous start/finish cities such as Voss, Egersund, and Odda is on the schedule, while the concluding stage will take place in Stavanger – in the region that is the heart of the Tour of Norway as we know it today.

– This year's Tour of Norway is perhaps one of the toughest we have had in the history of the race. Hill finishes on two out of four days, and in addition, the final stage will be even more hectic as the entire stage takes place in the traditional circuit in Stavanger. We are very pleased with the routes we have created this year, which include everything from fjords to mountains and from the coast to the city center. The rider who wins this year's Tour of Norway overall will be a cyclist who masters all elements of cycling, says Roy Hegreberg about this year's edition.

1. Stage Voss - Voss Resort/Bavallen, 145 kilometers

The opening stage with both the start and finish in Voss is going to offer a thrilling start for the riders. In Ulvik, after 67 kilometers, the first intermediate sprint of the year awaits, where bonus seconds and sprint points will be contested. Soon after, the first categorized climb up Espedalen to Drevtjørn follows, covering 8.7 kilometers with an average gradient of just under 4%. The riders won't get much rest before facing Skjervet, a 3,4-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 5.4%. According to Strava, Norwegian speed skating talent Sigurd Henriksen has set the fastest time up this climb in 2023 during the Bergen-Voss race. It will be interesting to see if that record still stands after the Tour of Norway passes through this year! After Skjervet, the riders will navigate through a hilly terrain towards the concluding climb up to Voss Resort/Bavallen. In 2022, world star Remco Evenepoel convincingly won after a duel with Uno-X's climbing talent, Tobias Halland Johannesen. The ascent to the finish at Voss Resort is four kilometers long, with just under a 6% average gradient. A true puncheur finale will determine who gets to wear the Repsol leader's jersey for the first time in 2024!

Remco Evenepoel was the strongest up to Voss Resort/Bavallen in 2022. Photo: Szymon Gruchalski

Stage 2 Odda - Gullingen, 205 kilometers

We have to go back to 2017 to find the last time the race visited Odda. Back then, the race was called Tour des Fjords, and Odda was the starting city for the 3rd stage. In 2016, Tour des Fjords had a finish in Odda, where Alexander Kristoff secured victory after a sprint in a reduced peloton.

In this year's edition of the Tour of Norway, the 2nd stage will be the longest at 205 kilometers. From Odda, the riders will ride a hilly terrain towards the intermediate sprint in Etne after 70 kilometers, before facing the first categorized climb of the day in Hogganvikbakken. With its 3.5 kilometers and 5.4% gradient, Hogganvikbakken is a Category 3 climb. Then, the riders will tackle a series of uncategorized climbs on their way to the challenging finishing climb up to Gullingen. The conclusion is truly going to separate the wheat from the chaff, with its 5.8 kilometers and just under 9% average gradient. This is a stage that will likely shake things up in the general classification.

Stage 3 Sola - Egersund, 168 kilometers

After two stages where climbers/puncheurs had their chance, the strong sprinters will now have their opportunity. The stage from Sola to Egersund features two categorized climbs, both coming towards the end of the stage after 108 and 121 kilometers, respectively. Before the circuit in the Egersund area, the riders will ride along the edge of the North Sea, where crosswinds could make a difference.

Egersund has been a starting city twice in the history of the race – the 4th stage in 2013 (Tour des Fjords) and the 1st stage in 2021. The last time the Tour of Norway had a finish in Egersund was in 2019 when Cees Bol won the 1st stage. Will Alexander Kristoff take another stage victory in the Tour of Norway, or will local hope and reigning Norwegian champion Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) outsmart the sprinters for the win in Egersund?

Last time Tour of Norway finished in Egersund: Cees Bol won stage 1 in 2019. Photo: Szymon Gruchalski.

Stage 4 Stavanger - Stavanger, 125 kilometers

Tour of Norway 2024 concludes in and around Stavanger. The stage starts and finishes at Torget in Stavanger, and will once again host the final attacks and challenges in the battle for the overall victory in Tour of Norway. Last year, hometown favorite Alexander Kristoff won after a tight sprint duel. Unlike previous editions, the entire stage this year will take place in the thrilling circuit that also includes the steep "Grisabakken." The KOM-sprint for the race's concluding stage is also located here. This stage invites action-packed cycling, and a lot can happen in the overall standings here!

– We hope that residents and visitors will contribute to creating a great atmosphere and excitement around the entire race, and we look forward to four days of exciting cycling in the world's most beautiful region, Roy Hegreberg concludes.