Bagdonas battles back to take stage

CYCLING AN POST RAS:THE GENERAL classification battle is still five stages from being settled but the An Post Grant Thornton Seán Kelly team has already give its Irish sponsors a boost with a strong stage victory on yesterday's third day of the race.

Defending champion Gediminas Bagdonas was one of 53 riders who were in the front group at the end of the tough stage from Gort to Westport, remaining in place after two major crashes in the bunch and three climbs, including the first category Maumtrasna.

The Lithuanian powered home at the head of that bunch, beating stage one winner Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) by half a wheel. But the victory owed as much to the team’s meticulousness as it did to his strength.

“I am very happy right now as it was a very tough stage. I was caught up in a crash and fell, breaking my shoe towards the latter stages of the race but my team-mates put in a great performance to help me get back to the leaders and thankfully I was able to win the sprint towards the finish line”, he told The Irish Times after the podium presentation.

“I had a spare set in the team car and was able to change them, then went on to take the win.”

Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG Sigma Sport) was the first Irishman in eighth, while Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) also finished strongly, being the first county rider in 10th.

Bagdonas’ Irish team-mate Connor McConvey also finished in the front group and moved up to a fine fourth overall. He is locked on time with the ongoing race leader Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo), who had a scare when he was delayed in the day’s second big crash, losing half a minute to the Bagdonas/McConvey group, but getting back on 12 kilometres from the end.

Earlier, Irishmen Eugene Moriarty (Meath East Spin 11) and Tim Barry (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) clipped away halfway through the 145 kilometre stage, then were joined by Gruffud Lewis (Britain UK Youth Cycling) and Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco Mesterhus).

Moriarty dropped back in the field after the third category climb of Tir na Cille (km 83), while Barry and Lewis lost their places at the front when they fell on the descent of the second category Gowlaun climb.

Almost at the same moment, a major crash in the chasing group caused several riders to be delayed, including Bagdonas and his An Post team-mates Sam Bennett and Ronan McLaughlin. The chaos gave Hurum a chance and he continued onwards alone, fighting well to delay his recapture until two kilometre to go.

Irish contenders such as McConvey and former race-winner David McCann (RTS Racing) finished in the same time as Bagdonas, while a last-minute split in the group cost Bennett, Philip Lavery, Seán Downey and others seven seconds.

Being top Irish-based rider in 10th, Armstrong was pleased with his showing. “I am aiming for a stage win later in the race,” he said.

Bagdonas has a bigger target in mind, wanting to win the race again. “I am just 22 seconds back and the hardest stages are yet to come. Everything is possible,” he smiled.

The An Post Rás continues today with a flat, fast 135 kilometre race from Westport to Bundoran.

A bunch sprint is predicted by race director Dermot Dignam, but the fact that Lang is locked on time with McConvey and two others means that he’ll have to fight all the way.

STAGE THREE: Gort to Westport, 145kms

1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Bel) An Post Sean Kelly 144.7 kms in 3 hrs 9 mins 3 secs; 2, M. Bialoblocki (Brit) Node4 Giordana Racing; 3, R. Eefting (Neth) (Koga Cycling; 4, C. Karwowski (NZ) National Team; 5, R. Sarreboubee (France) AVC Aix En Provence; 6, M. Hunal (Cze) AC Sparta Praha; 7, T. Rostollan (Fra) AVC Aix En Provence; 8, P. Hawkins (Brit) Team IG-Sigma Sport; 9, W. Sybrandy (Brit) Team IG-Sigma Sport; 10, A Armstrong (Dublin) West Eurocycles.

Overall classification: Pirmin Lang (Switz) Atlas Jakroo 9 hrs 52 mins; 2, J. Moss (Brit) Node4 Giordana Racing; 3, R. Handley (Brit) Rapha Condor Sharp; 4, C. McConvey (Bel) An Post Sean Kelly; 5, M. Bialoblocki (Brit) Node4 Giordana Racing at 12 secs; 6, N. Baldo (Switz) Atlas Jakroo) at 20 secs; 7, G. Bagdonas (Bel) An Post Sean Kelly at 22 secs; 8, R. Sarreboubee (Fra) AVC Aix En Provence) at 26 secs; 9, M. Hunal (Cze) AC Sparta Praha; 10, P. Hawkins (Brit) Team IG-Sigma Sport).

Sprints: 1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Bel) An Post Sean Kelly) 32; 2, M. Bialoblocki (Brit) Node4 Giordana Racing 29; 3, R. Eefting (Neth) Koga Cycling 24; 4, R. Sarreboubee (Fra) AVC Aix En Provence 22; 5, P. Lang (Switz) Atlas Jakroo 21 One4All Bikes4Work

King of the Mountains:1, Dan Craven (Brit) Team IG-Sigma Sport) 32; 2, S. Hurum (Nor) Oneco- Mesterhus 29; 3, G. Lewis (Brit) UK Youth Cycling 25; 4, R. Handley (Brit) Rapha Condor Sharp 20; 5, M. Hunal (Cze) AC Sparta Praha)

Under 23:1, Richard Handley (Brit) Rapha Condor Sharp 9 hours 52 mins; 2, C. Karwowski (NZ National Team) at 28 secs; 3, M. Sehested Pedersen (Den) Blue Water Cycling); 4, A. Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy); 5, M Aregger (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) all same time.