Three-quarters of the way through the Arctic Race in Norway, only the final stage in Trondheim remains.

Hugo Houle and Karl-Frederik Hagen finished third and fifth, respectively, on Saturday's queen stage to Skarstug.

The team is now in the top 18 of the UCI team standings and in a major battle to secure a World Tour spot in 2023 or to be among the top two pro teams next year. If the team can hold onto its position in Sunday's Arctic Race GC, it will earn a valuable 205 points.

"Everyone did a great job today," said team director sportif Nikki Seelensen after the stage, in which Israel Premier Tech led on the final 5.4 km climb.

"We made a plan last night and everyone did their part today. Cole (Kessler) ran first, then Sebastian (Berwick) set a hard pace going into the climb. Simon (Clark) did the last part and the three GC guys did well on the last climb."

"Our goal today was not only to get a result on the stage, but also to keep the three of us in the GC contention ahead of tomorrow's stage, which may be even more difficult than today's stage. I am very happy with everyone's performance today. Well done everyone!"

Foure is the best placed of the team's three riders on GC heading into stage four, and the Canadian Tour de France stage winner is nine seconds ahead of stage three winner and race leader Victor Lafaye (Cofidis).

He said early in the race that the team was less about UCI points and more about racing aggressively, like in the Tour where he and Simon Clark won two stages.

"Everyone is aware of the situation," he said. And I don't think we can change the way we race." We have our own legs and that is the most important thing."

"Of course, it's true that we are getting more and more coverage in the press, but I myself am still focused on what I can do. Winning races and points come with it.

Foure, who will race the Quebec and Montreal GPs and the European Classics at the end of the season, said he will look wherever the team can find success to finish the season, and the first year of a three-year ranking (2020) will be his last year on the World Tour He also noted that the team is being held back.

"If you win races, you get points," he said. It's important to be successful in the big races, like the World Tour One-Day races. It's important to be successful in big races like the upcoming World Tour One-Day races.

"We didn't have the results we expected early in the season, and we have some regrets about that. So that's another thing I don't see from this year. But I still have confidence that we can do it. We have to fight until the end."

Houle said the team, which just added Dylan Tuns in a mid-season move, could continue for years to come with its current backing, even if it is relegated to the World Tour in 2023.

"No matter what happens this year, this team will be around for a long, long time. Sylvan Adams is here and Premier Tech is joining us.

"So whatever the situation is here, we have to give it our best.