LottoNL-Jumbo Dutchman Lars Boom placed second to Edvald Boasson Hagen in the Tour of Fjords stage to Kopervik today. Belgian Dries van Gestel remains the leader in the classification, with the team’s Timo Roosen in third and Boom fifth.

"I would’ve liked to win here," said Boom. "Timo and I came first through the last corner. Boasson Hagen had more physical speed, and so he still passed between us. It was a reasonably technical mass print. That was to our advantage. It's a pity we could not finish it off with a win. Timo was doing a good lead-out, but unfortunately I could not beat Boasson Hagen."

One day after Roosen’s win, the peloton did not let the breakaway succeed again. In the streets of Kopervik, the last riders were caught and they sprint for the victory. Boom seemed to win until Boasson Hagen snuck by on the line.

"It would have been an important victory for me. The classics were not good and I would like to show good things in the coming races. Today is a sign that it is going well, but I'd rather win."

The Norwegian rider is a top favourite for the GC win, said Sports Director Merijn Zeeman. “And I'd rather we didn’t have this bunch sprint today because Boasson Hagen took ten seconds in bonus time. We're going to do everything this weekend to get a good GC with Timo and Lars. That's going to be a nice fight."