Daan Olivier was first home for Team Giant-Shimano at the 34th Clasica San Sebastian in 31st place after only losing contact with the front group on the final ascent of the day within 10km of the finish.

Daan, riding his first Klasikoa, was one of two protected riders on the day together with Thomas Damuseau after the team set the plan during the race on the road. Form was unpredictable with it being the first race back for all the riders in over a month so the plan was variable but with Simon Geschke leading as road captain the riders together with input from the coaches made the decision out on the road.

The 219km race was in the end dominated by riders coming to the Basque Country straight from Le Tour de France, and it was decided by the final climb of the day after a race of attrition over the preceding climbs.

One rider spent most of the day out front alone but this move was always doomed and with 60km to race the front of the peloton was back together. From here on in it was attack after attack, however nothing was gaining enough ground to stick at the thinning bunch approached the decisive final climb of the day - Tontorra, with gradients of up to 20%.

It was here that the decisive move went, and also the point that Thomas and Daan started to slip backwards. Five riders formed at the front of the race and behind it was a fight for minor placings on the fast run-in to the finish.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) eventually took the win with Daan coming home just over two minutes in arrears, while Thomas was another few minutes back in 55th position.

Team Giant-Shimano coach Christian Guiberteau said after the race:

“It was difficult to see how the guys would react getting straight back into racing today so we made a plan during the race to go for Thomas and Daan. The rest of the team supported these two by positioning them for the hills and riding together, led by Simon.”

“The final hill was a new one and it split the race. Thomas lost contact first then Daan couldn’t follow the par set by the leaders but they rode a strong race to be there at the end. It is good learning for them to be there in the decisive points of a race like this and it will hopefully set them off on a good way for the races to come,” Guiberteau said to the Giant-Shimano website.

“After Pais Vasco and today I am starting to really like the Basque Country – the fans are crazy and the country is beautiful,” Daan himself added.

“I am thankful for the help of the team today. It was a hard restart after just training for the past month but I am happy with my shape coming off altitude camp. WorldTour racing is still hard and I missed the final few per cent today to follow the best on the last climb but I am getting closer and closer.”