The Tour of Norway Women is a brand-new race for the 2025 season. It is, however, definitely not the first Tour of Norway for the women’s peloton. The Ladies Tour of Norway ran from 2014 to 2021, with names like Marianne Vos (3 times), Anna van der Breggen, Megan Guarnier and Annemiek van Vleuten taking GC wins. That race then took on the task of upgrading the scope into a Tour of Scandinavia with a plan to include Swedish and Danish stages as well. There were issues with Sweden upholding its end of the deal, and subsequently, the sponsors and host broadcasters pulled out. Effectively spelling the end of the Tour of Scandinavia after a pair of editions in 2022 and 2023, won by Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Annemiek van Vleuten, respectively.
Photo Credit: Tour of NorwayRacing in Norway continues though, thanks to the organisers of the men’s Tour of Norway race. They have stepped up and created an integrated women’s race alongside their event, which has run since 2011. We get just 2 stages in the inaugural year, and they present very different tests. The first sees the peloton finish on the slopes of Heia – 2.2km at 8.5% – which will be tackled 3 times on the opening stage. An early leg opener after 7km and then again later on at 76km and 99km to go, before finishing at the summit. The final stage sees the peloton tackle a long circuit of Stavanger, starting and finishing there. It’s the Grisabekken climb that will feature on this stage, with 5 ascents of the 300m at 12% climb. A real stinger for the legs that will have some attritional value to a stage that is potentially a sprint stage unless someone lights it up.
Previous Winners
2024
Not held
2023
Not held
2022
Not held
2025 Tour of Norway Women Stage Profiles
Stage 1
Stage 2
Live TV Coverage
Saturday 31st May to Sunday 1st June 2025
Live on Discovery Plus/Max/TNT Sports across most of Europe
Stage 1: 10:00-12:00
Stage 2: 16:30-19:00
All times in BST
Twitter: Updates
Startlist: FirstCycling
Tour of Norway Women 2025 Contenders
The punchy terrain of the Tour of Norway Women looks well suited to Justine Ghekiere, who comes in off the back of an excellent 4th place overall at Itzulia Women. That was her best performance of the year so far, and if she can carry that climbing form across to Norway, she’ll be in contention on the key GC stage. With a mix of short climbs and reduced sprint opportunities, the route plays to her strengths – steady on the steeper ramps and a reliable performer in smaller groups. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio remains an interesting unknown here. Her 15th at La Vuelta Femenina was solid but didn’t match her best from recent seasons, and she’s yet to find top gear in 2025. That said, if the racing opens up early on the climbs, she’s still capable of a big result, and the parcours does give her a shot to turn the season around.
Uno-X Mobility comes into their home race with momentum and a well-rounded team capable of results across all stages. Mie Bjørndal Ottestad is the headline act, fresh off her breakthrough WorldTour win at the Vuelta a Burgos. That performance, including a stage win and 7th overall, confirmed her as a rider who can now win at the highest level, particularly on rolling terrain like we’ll see in Norway. Susanne Andersen will be another local favourite, especially after winning the Ronde de Mouscron earlier this spring. Her sprint is sharpest when the bunch is reduced, and she’ll be eyeing stage 2. Ingvild Gåskjenn, who last recorded a top-10 back in February, will still be a useful option in support and could cover late moves if she’s given freedom. Uno-X has the firepower to be on the front foot and will be motivated on home roads.
Sprinting opportunities will be the focus for Ceratizit Pro Cycling, with Mylene de Zoete likely the go-to rider for the flatter finishes or reduced group sprints. She has had a consistently good run this year and should be up there if the stages aren’t too selective. Petra Zsanko offers an interesting back-up option, either leading out or stepping up if the finale becomes messy. Daniek Hengeveld continues to be one of the more proactive and aggressive riders on the team and could play a key role in early breakaways or late attacks, particularly on rolling terrain. If the summit finish or punchy climbs prove too much for the sprinters, Dilyxine Miermont could be the one tasked with keeping the team in the mix – she’s shown glimpses this year and might be ready to convert that into a more prominent result.
Margaux Vigié brings some serious sprint form into Norway for Visma | Lease a Bike, having placed 3rd and 5th in stage finishes at Itzulia. If the peloton stays together or is reduced to a manageable group, she’s a genuine podium threat across multiple days. Eva van Agt has the kind of aggressive racing style that suits Norwegian roads – undulating, wind-prone, and tactical. Expect her to force selections or cover the more dangerous moves. The same goes for Rosita Reijnhout, who could have the freedom to go on the offensive on the short climbs if the GC is wide open. Her punch and willingness to take risks make her an ideal option if Visma wants to animate things on Stage 2.
UAE Team ADQ looks to have several cards to play depending on how selective the stages become. Sofia Bertizzolo is perhaps their most versatile finisher, with the kind of sprint that still works after a few climbs. If Stage 2 doesn’t break up too much, she’s well-positioned to go for the win. Tereza Neumanova adds another sprint option after a 2nd place at Trofee Maarten Wynants recently and is building into some consistent form. Both riders are capable of contesting if the group thins slightly, but doesn’t fully fracture. The wildcard here is Federica Venturelli, who returns from a long injury layoff. She’s only raced once since January but at full strength she has the potential to be a stage contender, particularly on a profile like Stage 2, where a bit of climbing precedes a fast finish. If she’s close to race sharpness, she’ll be one to watch closely.
There are reasons for optimism at Arkea-B&B Hotels too. Emilia Fahlin showed she’s still capable of mixing it in the right scenario with 8th place at Ronde de Mouscron and should be comfortable on these sorts of rolling, sprintable profiles. Titia Ryo is also starting to gather momentum in her second pro season. She was 8th overall at the Pays de la Loire Tour – a result that reflects her climbing potential and strength over back-to-back days. If she’s able to hang tough on the punchy climb of stage 1, she could end up as the team’s best GC hope with some luck.
VolkerWessels brings a lively trio that should be in the thick of the action. Anne Knijnenburg has made a name for herself this year with aggressive racing, sometimes a little too aggressive for the final result to land. Still, her 2nd at the Pays de la Loire Tour and 4th at Trofeo Oro in Euro show what she’s capable of. This race is a great fit for her attacking style, especially if she times it right. Margot Vanpachtenbeke took 4th at Festival Elsy Jacobs à Garnich and looks close to rediscovering her 2024 form. If things line up, a podium on one of the stages isn’t out of the question. Scarlett Souren hasn’t had quite the same standout moments as last year, but her win at the Midwest Cycling Classic and 5th at GP Immo Zone remind us she thrives at this level. The flatter stage could give her the platform to do some damage if she gets a clear run.
For Team Coop-Repsol, the Tour of Norway Women is a chance to shine on home soil. India Grangier looked sharp at Navarra Elite Classics with her 8th place finish and is well-suited to Stage 2’s sprint-friendly run-in. She’s backed by a team in rising form. Monica Greenwood has been steadily building towards a performance like her 7th at Trofee Maarten Wynants and will look to take that momentum into one of the rolling days here. Tiril Jørgensen, another strong finisher, was 9th at Navarra Elite Classics and 10th earlier in the year at Vuelta Extremadura, adding 11th on the flattest stage at Itzulia Women. She’s clearly capable of sprinting from a reduced group and should get a protected role. If the race breaks up more than expected, Stina Kagevi could be the one to make the move. She’s been consistent all year, just lacking that standout result. With the right move and the right timing, this could be the race where she makes a serious GC impact.
DAS-Hutchinson’s wildcard status doesn’t mean they’ll be making up the numbers. Robyn Clay is a genuine threat on stage 2 after winning stage 3 of the Tour de Feminin earlier this month. She’s learning how to finish off tough days with a strong sprint and will see this race as a major opportunity. Nora Tveit might not have made too many headlines in 2025, but her track background gives her great acceleration. She was 5th at last year’s European U23 Championships and 6th at Konvert Koerse – the sort of results that hint at the speed she still has in the right company. If the sprint stages open up, she could sneak into a stage top 10.
Handsling Alba Development arrive with momentum and ambition. Kate Richardson is full of confidence after her breakthrough GC win at the Tour de Feminin in Czechia. She didn’t need a stage victory to secure the overall, instead using consistency across all four days, including a 2nd place finish on one of the stages. That result, combined with strong domestic performances, signals a rider coming into her own. Teammate Lauren Dickson also impressed in Czechia, finishing 9th overall. That followed a win at the Lincoln GP and a 2nd place at Pointe du Raz at 1.1 level – a string of results that put her among the most in-form riders in this field. Both riders have the depth and racing intelligence to shape the GC if the race splits on Stage 1 or the hills bite harder than expected on Stage 3.
Tour of Norway Women 2025 Outsiders
Torelli’s Olympia Norrid-Mortensen is a wildcard for Stage 2. Just 20 years old, she’s been growing steadily at the UCI level after a dominant season domestically in Denmark. Her 12th place at GP Immo Zone is her best so far this season, and Stage 2’s sprint finish could play to her strengths if she gets a clean run. Teammate Esther Wong, 19, is another exciting prospect. She picked up a 12th-place finish at the Pays de la Loire Tour earlier this year and has the kind of raw speed that could turn into a result here in a more open sprint stage.
For LKT-Team, Karoline Goldschmidt enters in strong form after claiming the QoM jersey at the recent Tour de Feminin. The 25-year-old German rider has a history of aggressive racing and will likely look to get up the road again. Her 12th overall at Gracia Orlova shows she can back up her efforts across stages and could sneak into the top-10 if the right gaps open. Nele Laing is another name to keep tabs on. She was 11th in GC at Gracia Orlova and took a solid 9th at the testing GP Féminin de Chambéry. With Stage 1 expected to be selective, her climbing form could see her in the mix.
BePink-Imatra-Bongioanni will look to Silvia Milesi, the 18-year-old Italian who showed her talent with 2nd at the GP della Liberazione PINK earlier this year. Still developing, she’s likely to target Stage 2, where the flatter profile should give her a chance to sprint. She’ll be supported by Elisabeth Ebras, whose best result this year is 15th at Scheldeprijs. Both riders are at the early stages of their pro careers but could punch above their weight in this field if they’re positioned well.
Emilie Fortin leads the charge for CJ O’Shea Racing Team. The Canadian impressed with a podium on a stage at the Tour de Feminin, where she got into a breakaway and held off the bunch to finish 3rd. Her past victory at the 2023 Clasica de Almeria underlines her ability on lumpy terrain and she should be competitive again if Stage 1 or 3 sees attacks go early and stick.
Top 3 Prediction
⦿ Justine Ghekiere
⦿ Mie Bjørndal Ottestad
⦿ Dilyxine Miermont
