Theo Bos got very close to a stage win in yesterday's stage of the Tour of Alberta when he launched a long sprint before being passed by Jonas Ahlstrand. Having excelled on a tough finishing circuit, the Dutchman is confident for the next two stages which have flatter finishes.

Belkin Pro Cycling TEAM’s sprinter Theo Bos, narrowly missed a stage victory at the 2014 Tour of Alberta, Canada, on Thursday, finishing second in a blistering mad dash to the finish line on the race’s 145-kilometer second road stage from Innisfail to Red Deer.

“I started the sprint early today, coming from behind and trying to create a gap,” said the Dutchman from Hierden, 31, who surged for the line with more than 300 meters to go, Giant-Shimano’s Jonas Ahlstrand of Sweden coming around him to win in the final meters. “Unfortunately, someone was on my wheel who could pass me. But that’s cycling."

Belkin’s other flying Dutchman, Nick van der Lijke, was instrumental in Bos’s near miss, taking 9th place. Giant-Shimano’s Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, who placed 28th, retained the gold-and-white jersey as race leader. Belkin’s Steven Kruijswijk of the Netherlands retained 18th place overall, at 31 seconds.
 

The stage, through the heart of central Alberta from Innisfail, north of Calgary, across the Albertan prairie to the town of Red Deer, was aggressive from the start as the teams launched men off the front — including Van der Lijke, who was very active.

“It was a hard stage today with many attacks. It was nice to be in a breakaway, briefly; hopefully, I’ll succeed one of these days,” said Van der Lijke. “I’m feeling good, so I also hope to sprint for victory one day here, as well.”
 

Despite aggression by the Belkin boys, a seven-man breakaway did form without them, earning a one-time advantage of about a minute before Giant-Shimano, for Dumoulin, worked to keep the escapees in sight. Belkin riders came forward en masse later, in the final kilometers.

“We helped a little bit in the chase with Giant-Shimano, then we took the initiative,” said Belkin’s Sports Director Michiel Elijzen. “Second place is, yeah, a good result and good for confidence.” 
 

The 2014 Tour of Alberta continues Friday with a 157.9km road race from Wetaskiwin north across the open prairie through Fort Saskatchewan and Edmonton, Alberta’s capital city, and on to Edmonton-Garrison airport. Three fast final circuits and finish line on the airport’s runway should provide Bos and company with another opportunity for stage victory.

“I’m really satisfied. I didn’t expect to sprint today on such a hard course, but my legs felt good on the climbs and I’m really pleased with that,” Bos said. “I’m looking forward to the coming days, which suit me better.”