Stage three of the Norwegian race was for a long time about a leading group ahead. But the foursome were constant within reach for the peloton. In the end, the group, now consisting of only three riders, was caught. Then it was sprinting time in southwestern Norway.

Van Aert showed he hadn't lost his positioning skills. On the left side of the road, the Belgian worked his way to the front. Fourth place was the maximum possible in the end.

"I'm happy to compete at the front again," is the prevailing thought in Van Aert's mind. "Today was a good opportunity to go for the stage win. The stage went relatively easy. At the end, I just came up a bit short in the legs to actually grab the win. I was in a good position, but the competition was simply stronger today. It's hard to say anything about my current shape after today. It felt like a quiet ride with an explosion at the end. I can still improve in the sprint, but I am confident that will improve in the upcoming period. For now, it was especially nice to really compete for the win again. That was a while ago for me."

Bart Lemmen retained his second place in the general classification. The Tour of Norway ends tomorrow with a hilly stage in and around Stavanger.