Degenkolb still in search for first win of 2016...

SANDNESSJØEN, Norway—This year is probably one that German sprinter John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin) would like to soon forget. When speaking to Eurosport prior to his second straight second-place finish – this time to Dutchman Danny van Poppel (Team Sky) on stage 2 of the Arctic Race of Norway (UCI 2.HC), last year’s Milan-San Remo (1.UWT) and Paris-Roubaix (1.UWT) winner was admittedly moving forward.

“Now is already much better than the beginning of the season,” shared Degenkolb less than 24 hours after finishing runner up to stage 1 winner Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha). “I am very happy to make the podium and put myself in position to win races again and fight for victories.”

Degenkolb, as well as Kristoff for that matter, believes he would have been hard to keep from crossing the line first on the opening day had it not been for a mechanical issue in the closing metres. But after surviving a near-fatal, head-on collision with a car in January that involved six Giant-Alpecin riders, he is happy to be alive let alone ride his bike once more.

“I am feeling very well again,” said the 27-year-old, who just signed a two-year contract with Trek-Segafredo. “I am just happy to race and I have definitely left all the stuff in the beginning of the year behind me.

“I don’t need a win to make it complete, but I’m always racing to win and obviously disappointed when I miss an opportunity.”

For the 23-year-old van Poppel, he moves to the top step on the podium after a third-place finish the day before and lifts both the blue and orange leaders jersey and green points jersey from Kristoff.

“It was a long day on the bike and it was a really hectic final,” said the 2015 Vuelta a España stage winner. “I was on John’s wheel and I came over him.

“It was really close and I feel like I was a little bit faster,” van Poppel continued. “I was happy to get the win over a sprinter the quality of [John Degenkolb].”

When asked of his plans to defend the lead, van Poppel was quick to throw his support to his teammates.

“It’s a nice to wear the leaders jersey, but it’s not my focus,” explained van Poppel with stage 3 looming. “Tomorrow is a hard race with an uphill finish and that’s not my speciality.

“We have other guys from the team that are better suited for that stage and I will try to help them because they helped me win today.”

Stage 2 Classification

1. Danny van Poppel, NED, Team Sky, 4:46:16

2. John Degenkolb, GER, Giant-Alpecin s.t.

3. Moreno Hofland, NED, LottoNL-Jumbo, s.t.

General Classification

1. Danny van Poppel, NED, Team Sky, 8:56:04

2. John Degenkolb, GER, Giant-Alpecin, 0:02

3. Alexander Kristoff, NOR, Team Katusha, 0:04

Classification Leaders

Race Leader (Blue Jersey): Danny van Poppel, NED, Team Sky

Points Leader (Green Jersey): Danny van Poppel, NED, Team Sky

Mountains leader (Salmon Jersey): Kevin van Melsen, BEL, Wanty-Groupe Gobert

Best Young Rider (White Jersey): Danny van Poppel, NED, Team Sky

Teams classification: Team Sky, 26:48:54