The Giro d'Italia is entering its final week, which means that the preparatory races for the summer are already starting. In France, Boucles de la Mayenne is kicking off, and in Scandinavia, we have the Tour of Norway. IDLProCycling.com outlines the possible scenarios for the Norwegian stage race!
This race marked the return of Wout van Aert after his terrible crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen last season. This season, Norway will have to do without a star of van Aert's caliber, but it does welcome a group of young talents such as Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Matthew Brennan from Visma | Lease a Bike.
In recent years, riders like these have often won in Norway. Ethan Hayter (2021), Remco Evenepoel (2022), Ben Tulett (2023), and last year Axel Laurance were all considered talents when they won the race in Norway. The last Dutch winner was Pieter Weening in 2016.
Latest winners Tour of Norway
2024 Axel Laurance
2023 Ben Tulett
2022 Remco Evenepoel
2021 Ethan Hayter
2020 Canceled
2018 Eduard Prades
2017 Edvald Boasson Hagen
2016 Pieter Weening
2015 Jesper Hansen
2023 Ben Tulett
2022 Remco Evenepoel
2021 Ethan Hayter
2018 Eduard Prades
2017 Edvald Boasson Hagen
2016 Pieter Weening
2015 Jesper Hansen
Tour of Norway 2025: Course, favorites stage wins and times
Stage 1, Thursday, May 29, 2025: Sola - Sola (179.0 km)
The Tour of Norway starts with a stage that begins and ends in Sola. There are two climbs along the way, but the chances are still in favor of a sprinter taking the lead after four to five hours of racing and a technical finish.
Favorites
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Arne Marit (Intermarché-Wanty)
Tobias Lund Andresen (Picnic PostNL)
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Arne Marit (Intermarché-Wanty)
Tobias Lund Andresen (Picnic PostNL)
Times
Start: 1:45 PM local time (07:45 AM EDT)
Finish: 6 PM local time (noon EDT)
Start: 1:45 PM local time (07:45 AM EDT)
Finish: 6 PM local time (noon EDT)
Stage 2, Friday, May 30, 2025: Egersund - Oltedal (208.0 km)
Day two features, by far, the longest stage of the four. Between Egersund and Oltedal, the 208 kilometers are mostly up and down in Scandinavia, with a tough finish. The finish line comes after a 1.1-kilometer climb at 6.8 percent, where the punchers can do their thing.
Favorites
Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers)
Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Per Strand Hagenes (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers)
Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Per Strand Hagenes (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Times
Start: 12:45 PM local time (06:45 AM EDT)
Finish: 5:57 PM local time (11:57 AM EDT)
Start: 12:45 PM local time (06:45 AM EDT)
Finish: 5:57 PM local time (11:57 AM EDT)
Stage 3, Saturday, May 31, 2025: Jorpeland - Heia (142.0 km)
The third stage of the Tour of Norway is also a beauty. The finish is similar to the previous day's stage. In Heia, the last 2.2 kilometers climb at 7.7 percent, where the punchers can enjoy themselves again.
Favorites
Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers)
Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X)
Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers)
Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X)
Times
Start: 2:30 PM local time (08:30 AM EDT)
Finish: 5:57 PM local time (11:57 AM EDT)
Start: 2:30 PM local time (08:30 AM EDT)
Finish: 5:57 PM local time (11:57 AM EDT)
Stage 4, Sunday, June 1, 2025: Stavanger - Stavanger (130.0 km)
The Tour of Norway traditionally ends with a stage in and around Stavanger, where the short but steep Grisabakken climb has to be tackled several times. Alexander Kristoff, the Bear of Stavanger, has won four times in his hometown in the last three years; the other winner was Thibau Nys in 2023.
Favorites
Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X)
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech)
Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X)
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech)
Times
Start: 12:35 PM local time (06:35 AM EDT)
Finish: 4:25 PM local time (10:25 AM EDT)
Start: 12:35 PM local time (06:35 AM EDT)
Finish: 4:25 PM local time (10:25 AM EDT)
Favorites final classification Tour of Norway 2025
Defending champion Axel Laurance will be there again with ambition but in a different jersey. Last winter, the Frenchman switched from Alpecin-Deceuninck to INEOS Grenadiers, where he has already shown great things. Laurance rode well in Catalonia and the Basque Country and finished an impressive eighth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Victor Langelotti and Oscar Rodriguez, among others, will support him.
Things are not going quite as planned for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe this season, but Norway could be just what the team needs to get back on track. Maxim Van Gils returns to competition after a disappointing spring, with Tim van Dijke and Emil Herzog among his teammates. UAE Emirates-XRG is also participating and will field Alessandro Covi, who recently finished second in the Tour of Hungary.
For Visma | Lease a Bike, the Tour of Norway is an opportunity to show off in the country of its main sponsor, Visma. It will do so with two talented Norwegians, Jorgen Nordhagen and Per Strand Hagenes. In addition, the team is counting the talented Matthew Brennan and pushing Hungarian Attila Valter to the forefront as a possible contender for the GC.
At Alpecin-Deceuninck, we see Tibor Del Grosso on the provisional start list. The Dutchman already faced Brennan in the Tour of Catalonia, but at the end of last month he also achieved his first professional victory in the Tour of Turkey. Del Grosso should also be able to perform well on the punchy course in Norway.
Any other contenders? Definitely! Uno-X will start with Fredrik Dversnes, Rasmus Tiller, and Alexander Kristoff. In addition, Lorenzo Rota (Intermarché-Wanty), Odd Christian Eiking (Unibet Tietema Rockets), Kevin Vermaerke (Picnic PostNL), and Arjen Livyns (Lotto) are listed as explosive riders on the start list.
Who are the favorites for the final classification of the Tour of Norway 2025, according to IDLProCycling.com?
Top favorites: Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers) and Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Outsiders: Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Alessandro Covi (UAE Emirates-XRG), Jorgen Nordhagen (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-x)
Long shots: Victor Langelotti (INEOS Grenadiers), Lorenzo Rota (Intermarché-Wanty), Emil Herzog (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Kevin Vermaerke (Picnic PostNL), Matthew Brennan, Per Strand Hagenes, Attila Valter (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Odd Christian Eiking (Unibet Tietema Rockets)
Outsiders: Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Alessandro Covi (UAE Emirates-XRG), Jorgen Nordhagen (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-x)
Long shots: Victor Langelotti (INEOS Grenadiers), Lorenzo Rota (Intermarché-Wanty), Emil Herzog (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Kevin Vermaerke (Picnic PostNL), Matthew Brennan, Per Strand Hagenes, Attila Valter (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Odd Christian Eiking (Unibet Tietema Rockets)
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
TV broadcast Tour of Norway 2025
You can follow the Tour of Norway every afternoon this week on HBO Max. Eurosport prefers to show the Giro d'Italia and Roland Garros on its main channel.
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Latest Comments
- Something a bit misleading with this headline...mrbobke23-05-2025
- Jonas will lose to Pogi and retire after this yearqpshealing22-05-2025
- The secret 2.5mm shorter cracks that's going to magically give him 30 more watts. Couldn't be anything else😅Veganpotter20-05-2025
- No comment but here's my comment!Veganpotter09-05-2025
- No comment but here's my comment!Veganpotter09-05-2025
- Jos van Emden is right to speak out. The UCI’s lack of transparency and inconsistent decision-making have eroded trust among teams, riders, and fans alike. When even experienced professionals like Van Emden lose faith, it’s a clear signal that the system needs serious reform. Integrity and fairness should be at the core of any governing body, something the UCI needs to be reminded of.ahmed06-05-2025
- Why continue to give this bully and liar a platform. Both he and Bruyneel should be persona non grata in the cycling world.Aodh25-04-2025
- Such negative comments that are truly inappropriate and actually ridiculous. He sounds like an old man, bitter that he can't race anymore. Why can't he just be gracious? Or just shut up. Instead of howling for attention, in such a rude manner. Must be Dementia creeping in. We are all living in the Now. Records are there, and some are being broken, some are unapproachable. If he doesn't like it, and it makes him sick, maybe he ought start watching some other sport. Don't want the old mans health to be upset.
reemmo031-03-2025 - Roger De Vlaeminck inspires me to create a new beer: "Bitter Old Twat Belgian".JackInhof31-03-2025
- Shoot, I'll ride it for 1/10 of what his pay for that day is😅Veganpotter30-03-2025