Less than a month after taking his first professional victory at the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe, Jonas Ahlstrand continued his great momentum when he sprinted to second behind a superior Arnaud Demare in yesterday's second stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk. Although he is pleased with his form, however, the Swede will continue to ride in support of Ramon Sinkeldam and Nikias Arndt in the upcoming bunch sprints.

Jonas Ahlstrand has taken Team Giant-Shimano’s second runner’s-up spot in as many days of the Four Days of Dunkerque today after a punishing stage over the cobbles of northern France.

Ahlstrand finished behind race leader and yesterday’s stage winner, Arnaud Démare as he once again proved too fast, but most of the battle was surviving what preceded the finish.

The stage was plagued by wind and rain, and to top it off the peloton had a menu of cobblestones for the day. The conditions and parcours combined split the peloton to pieces and only Johannes Fröhlinger and Ahlstrand made the front group of 35 riders, with Ahlstrand missing it initially due to getting caught behind a crash then having to bridge the gap himself.

The front group came back together in the final kilometre after a strong solo move looked like it might just make it. Démare launched from a long way out and opened up a gap while Ahlstrand was caught trying to make up ground on the Frenchman.

“I felt really strong today and was going with the big moves and breaks but got caught when the split happened behind a crash and this meant chasing back to the front on my own,” said Ahlstrand after the stage.

“I got across and took my chances in a sprint at the end with the help of Johannes. I was a bit far back in the final corner and had to come from a long way back. People couldn’t hold on to Démare so I was fighting to get back up to him.

“I’m really happy with my shape out here especially after a three-week break from racing, but the focus is still on helping Nikias [Arndt] and Ramon [Sinkeldam] for the sprints here so we will take it day-by-day.”