Oslo Grand Prix   

The capital of Norway with its beautiful terrain to challenge puncheurs annually host the Oslo Grand Prix. The race is marked with a big fat red ring in the calendar of every hiller in division 3. The race starts south of Oslo, in Drammen. The city, formerly best known as a hole on Norway’s largest highway, has revitalized itself, and have the honor of hosting the start of the Grand Prix.

The first challenge of the...

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The capital of Norway with its beautiful terrain to challenge puncheurs annually host the Oslo Grand Prix. The race is marked with a big fat red ring in the calendar of every hiller in division 3. The race starts south of Oslo, in Drammen. The city, formerly best known as a hole on Norway’s largest highway, has revitalized itself, and have the honor of hosting the start of the Grand Prix.

The first challenge of the day comes in form of a tunnel going up Bragernesåsen just outside Drammen. The tunnel called “The Spiral” winds up six and a half times around its axis for 1.6 km and a climb up to 213 meters above sea level. The second hill of the day on the way to Oslo is the longest of the race. Lierbakkene, at 3.6 km and an average gradient of 5%, is not a mountain, but still long enough to put a strain on many in the peloton.

When the riders arrive in Oslo, two hills remain for the strongest to separate themselves. The first is Kongsveien (King’s Road) at 1.9 km and an average gradient at 5% on the east side of downtown Oslo. It is not expected to be the decisive moment of the day, but still an opportunity to test the legs of the competition.

The day ends at Oslo’s far most famous landmark seen from across the city, the ski jumping hill at Holmenkollen. The riders reach the bottom of the climb from Ring 3 where they have circled the city from east to west. On the last 2.8 km of the Grand Prix the riders climb 188 meters before reaching the goal line of the uphill finish.