On the final day of the Tour de Romandie, all eyes were on the decisive climb to Leysin. The fourteen-kilometer ascent was the centerpiece of the Swiss stage race. Nordhagen started the final stage in fourth place overall, just seven seconds behind Lenny Martinez. 

A breakaway group of eight riders began the final climb toward the finish in Leysin with a small advantage. The early attackers were reeled in one by one by the now-reduced peloton. In the select group, Nordhagen once again made a strong impression. With just under three kilometers to go, Florian Lipowitz and Pogačar launched an attack. The duo quickly opened a small gap. 

Shortly behind, Nordhagen also accelerated in an attempt to put pressure on Martinez. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike talent gave it everything, but his French rival for the podium did not crack. In the end, Nordhagen finished fifth, securing his fourth place in the overall classification of the WorldTour stage race. 

“I did everything I could to put Martinez under pressure in the final kilometers, but it proved impossible,” Nordhagen said afterward. “He was incredibly strong in the finale. The final climb was very irregular: at times the pace was high, while at other moments it dropped off. I perform better in long, steady efforts. The final meters were very steep, and that’s where I just came up short to make a difference.” 

Nordhagen can look back on a successful week in Switzerland. The young Norwegian had the opportunity to showcase himself at the highest level. “The past week has given me a lot of confidence for the future. This race has shown that I have what it takes to compete with the very best in the world,” he concluded.