Russell Downing hit the podium on the second stage of the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon today with a third place finish.
Sky controlled the race well for the last ten kilometers, with the peloton led into Salamanca by a string of Sky riders eight long. However, Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) was sitting on Downing's wheel and kicked past him just before the finish.
"It was a really hard finish," Russell Downing told Cycling Weekly. "We did a great lead out. We went a bit early yesterday, but it was better today so we really showed that we're getting it together. There's another sprint day [for the last stage] so hopefully we can do something there."
Downing's third place puts him second in the race's overall classification behind Ventoso with Manuel Benneti (Colnago-CSF Inox) in third.
The race organizers picked an odd route for the finishing section of the course, with the peloton having to navigate a 360 degree turn around a roundabout two kilometers from the finish. It interrupted Sky's lead-out and it looked as though they had been
"I got a bit lost on the roundabout. I had to chase back on the leadout that gassed me a little bit," recalled Downing.
Today's stage was flat all the way from the start. A five-man break that led the race from early on was swallowed up in the last ten kilometres.
1. Francisco José Ventoso (Movistar) 5-06.23
2. Sergio Miguel Vieira Ribeiro (Barbot-Efapel)
1. Francisco José Ventoso (Movistar)
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1