Nicolas Roche on the podium at the end of the Arctic Race of Norway; his BMC Racing won the team classification after four days of racing.
Video Nicolas Roche strings them out in Norway
Nicolas Roche has taken his best result of the season after claiming 5th overall at the Arctic Race of Norway.
He may have climbed onto the final podium but for getting caught behind a crash on the stage 1 uphill finish.
Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) claimed that opening stage and put 25 seconds into Roche.
However, a crash just behind the first 15 or so in the peloton held up most of the other riders.
Roche eventually got going again but the lost time would cost him. He finished 37 seconds down in the final overall and 25 seconds off 3rd place.
At the end of today's last stage - some 145.5km from Kvalsund to Alta - van der Poel won again; the third stage win in four days for his team.
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He won today from Sondre Holst Enger (Israel Cycling Academy) and Quentin Pacher (Vital Concept Club).
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The four finishing circuits were undulating today, with a 600 metre climb at six per cent each lap.
However, a large group arrived intact at the red kite on the last lap to contest the finish.
A 12-man breakaway was caught incrementally in the last 3km. It had forged clear early and gained almost four minutes halfway through the stage.
Around midway up the incline to the finish line on the last lap, Nicholas Roche hit the front in a bid to cause splits and gain time.
His acceleration immediately strung the field out. However, van der Poel was first on to his wheel.
The Dutch national champion then sprinted in to win, with Roche losing some places in the last 50 metres.
In the end, the Irish rider had to settle for 10th on the day. And while his surge and the gradient split the field it was not enough to move him up overall.
He finished the race as he had started the final stage; in 5th overall. Sergei Chernetski (Astana) finished two places ahead of Roche today to seal the overall title.
The Russuan was 11 seconds ahead of Markus Hoelgaard (Team Joker Icopal). Stage 2 winner Colin Joyce (Rally Cycling) was next a further one second back.
Danilo Wyss (BMC Racing) was 4th overall, some 27 seconds down on the leader with Roche 5th at 37 seconds.
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