Originally set to lead out Thomas Damuseau, Giant-Shimano stagiaire Steven Lammertink got close to a big win when he sprinted to second in today's second stage of the Vuelta a Burgos. Damuseau took third in a great performance by the Dutch team.

The Team Giant-Shimano fill the lower steps of the podium on stage two of the Vuelta a Burgos after stagiaire Steven Lammertink and yesterday’s third place finisher Thomas Damuseau take second and third in the race’s first bunch sprint.

Lammertink was leading out Damuseau but in the fast finish neither could get ahead of Matteo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling) who took the stage.

The majority of the stage was pretty steady behind a breakaway of six riders but the bunch always had it’s sights set on a bunch sprint ahead of tomorrow’s queen stage. One rider missing on the start line was Sea Keong Loh who did not start as he is recovering from hisfall on stage one which saw him break his sternum.

For Team Giant-Shimano, the day was about sticking together, riding near the front as a team and then preparing the sprint at the end for Thomas Damuseau.

As the race sped through the final kilometres the race came back together with the riders preparing for a bunch sprint. In the final 500m Damuseau was forced out of the line through the penultimate corner and Lammertink found himself with some space. He waited for Damuseau but with the line fast approaching he gave his all, eventually finishing second with Damuseau coming back through behind for third.

After the stage, Lammertink said:”After the first climb it went pretty easy and stayed like this until the last 40km. We were in a good position at the finish until the last two corners in the last 500m there were two corners. In the first corner I was in Thomas’s wheel and he was pushed out as a rider in front overcooked it. I came underneath and looked back to wait for Thomas but it was the last 300m then so I went for it.

“It is really good to race with the team. There are lots of little things that make it feel different, like behind the scenes with the bus and more staff, but the racing is the main difference. Like yesterday after the break went we were cruising for quite a while then it just got faster and faster - it’s either really fast or really slow, but I like it.”

Team Giant-Shimano coach Lionel Marie said after the stage: “Normally the plan was to go for Thomas but at 300m there was a left right and Steven was just behind Thomas who was blocked. Steven came through a small gap and then waited for Thomas but it was so close to the finish.

“The guys stuck to the plan and everybody rode well today. The last two days the guys have worked well together, protecting Daan [Olivier] as much as possible ahead of tomorrow’s queen stage. He looks confident and we will see what he can do tomorrow on the climbs.”