A year and a day after he first took a stage in the An Post Rás, Gediminas Bagdonas repeated the feat when he galloped home at the head of a reduced main bunch into Westport. The An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly team rider beat stage one winner Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) by half a wheel, with Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling) and Cameron Karwowski (New Zealand National Team) third and fourth.
Bagdonas’ victory came at the end of a hard 145 kilometre stage marked by many crashes, with the Lithuanian himself hitting the deck. Fortunately he and his team were well-prepared for all eventualities. “I don’t know what happened. Just before me some guy crashed, and I crashed and some of the team crashed. My shoes broke. It’s ok, a little bit of pain in the hands and legs, I had to change shoes, lucky I had them in the car.
Bagdonas is of course more than just a stage winner in the 2012 event. He clocked up stage victories on days two and three last year, then took the final overall classification at the end of the 1.2, eight day contest. He’s in good form again and aims to make a push for yellow in the days ahead.
The rider who ended yesterday in that jersey had nervous moments today. Swiss rider Pirmin Lang (Atlas Jakroo) was adrift in the second chase group after a big crash in the final 50 kilometres of the stage, and had a long chase to try to close the half minute gap.
He eventually did so, but still had to finish high up in the gallop to the line as he had started the day with an extremely minimal lead over six others. Stage placings woulld determine who would wear yellow.
Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek), Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) and Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) had all started the stage second, sixth and seventh overall, but each lost over three minutes. King of the Mountains leader Craven hit his head hard and had some memory loss; he won’t start Wednesday’s stage as a result.
At the end of stage three James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing), Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) and Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) are all level on time with Lang, and will be gunning to take over on stage 4.
The stage from Gort began with a large number of short lived attacks by riders. One of the first to gain a gap was Node4 Giordana Irishman Philip Lavery, who broke away thirty kilometres after the start. This move was hauled back, then compatriot Tim Barry (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) tried after 39 kilometres, getting half a minute’s lead.
He was brought back before the An Post sprint in Moycullen (km 48.3), where Michael Vingerling (Netherlands Koga Cycling) took the prime.
Later on, Eugene Moriarty (Meath East Spin 11) and Tim Barry (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) clipped away after approximately 72 kilometres, and were joined by Gruffud Lewis (Britain UK Youth Cycling) and then Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco Mesterhus),
They built a lead of thirty seconds but then got a bigger advantage when the bunch was hit by a big crash and stalled.
Lewis took the category three climb of Tir na Cille (km 83), beating Hurum and Barry to the top, while Moriarty lost contact. Hurum was then best on the second category Gowlaun (km 95.2), but on the descent Barry and Lewis crashed, leaving him alone out front. Further back, there was a very big pileup in the chasing group, which enabled the lone leader to gain more time.
He went over the summit of the first category Maumtrasna 40 seconds clear ahead of Lewis. Behind, a big group of riders had settled into the first group, namely An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly riders Bagdonas, Bennett, Sean Downey and Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly), plus Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha), Ondrej Pavek (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha), Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling), Jelmer Asjes (Netherlands Koga Cycling), Marcel Aregger (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo), David McCann (Taiwan RTS Racing), Felix English (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp), Wouter Sybrandy (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport), Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing), James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing), Matthew Higgins (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing), Philip Lavery (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing), Gruffudd Lewis (Britain UK Youth Cycling), James Lowsley-Williams (Britain UK Youth Cycling), Brian Ahern (Dublin Dundrum Town Centre) and Patrick Clarke (Mayo Castlebar Western Edge)
The yellow jersey group was chasing hard and eventually got up to them twelve kilometres from the finish. This led to a slight stall, handing Hurum another boost, and he continued with a 22 second lead. However his big bid for success ended with two kilometres remaining.
Bagdonas then moved forward and powered home ahead of stage one winner Bialoblocki, Due to a lack of time bonuses at the finish he didn’t reduce his 22 seconds deficit to Lang, but his stage victory plus his calm attitude shows that he believes he’ll be a big factor in the mountainous days ahead.
Before then, the race continues Wednesday with a flat, fast 135 kilometre race from Westport to Bundoran.
An Post Rás (2.2) Stage 3, Gort to Westport:
1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 144.7 kilometres in 3 hours 9 mins 3 secs
2, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing)
3, Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling)
4, Cameron Karwowski (New Zealand National Team)
5, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence)
6, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha)
7, Thomas Rostollan (France AVC Aix En Provence)
8, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport)
9, Wouter Sybrandy (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport)
10, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles)
11, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo)
12, Mark Sehested Pedersen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
13, Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy)
14, Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus)
15, Brian Ahern (Dublin Dundrum Town Centre)
Primes:
An Post Prime at Moycullen (km 48.3)
1, Michael Vingerling (Netherlands Koga Cycling)
KOM cat. 3 at Tir na Cille (km 83):
1, Gruffudd Lewis (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 5pts
2, Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco Mesterhus) 4
3, Tim Barry (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) 3
4, Eugene Moriarty (Meath East Spin 11) 1
KOM cat. 2 at Gowlaun (km 95.2):
1, Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus) 10 pts
2, Gruffudd Lewis (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 8
3, Tim Barry (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy) 6
4, Dan Craven (Meath East Spin 11) 4
5, Simon Richardson (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 3
6, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 1
KOM cat 1 at Maumtrasna (km. 104.1).
1, Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus) 15
2, Gruffudd Lewis (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 12
3, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 10
4, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 8
5, Matthew Higgins (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 6
6, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) 5
7, Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga Cycling) 3
Cuchulainn Crystal county rider:
1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) 3 hours 9 mins 3 secs
International team stage:
1, Britain Node4 Giordana, 9 hours 27 mins 9 secs
2, Netherlands Koga Cycling
3, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo, both same time
4, Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly, at 7 secs
5, France AVC Aix En Provence, same time
County team stage:
1, Dublin West Eurocycles, 9 hours 30 mins 33 secs
2, Dublin South UCD, at 40 secs
3, Meath East Spin 11, at 3 mins 15 secs
4, Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce, at 3 mins 17 secs
5, Mayo Castlebar Western Edge, at 3 mins 23 secs
General classification after stage 3:
1, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 9 hours 52 mins
2, James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing)
3, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
4, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly)
5, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 12 secs
6, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 20 secs
7, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 22 secs
8, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 26 secs
9, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha)
10, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport)
11, Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling) at 28 secs
12, Cameron Karwowski (New Zealand National Team)
13, Mark Sehested Pedersen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
14, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles)
15, Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy) all same time
Post Office Sprints:
1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 32
2, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 29
3, Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling) 24
4, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) 22
5, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 21
One4All Bikes4Work King of the Mountains:
1, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 32
2, Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus) 29
3, Gruffudd Lewis (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 25
4, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 20
5, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 16
Irish Sports Council Under 23:
1, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 9 hours 52 mins
2, Cameron Karwowski (New Zealand National Team) at 28 secs
3, Mark Sehested Pedersen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
4, Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy)
5, Marcel Aregger (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) all same time
CI Category 2:
1, Keith Walls (Meath Stamullen MartinDonnelly) 9 hours 52 mins
2, Art MacManusa (Dublin South UCD) at 1 min 37 secs
3, John O'Shea (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce) same time
4, Ciaran O'Sullivan (Antrim Chain Reaction Cycles) at 2 mins 58 secs
5, Christopher Reilly (Meath Stamullen MartinDonnelly) same time
Fitz Cycles county rider:
1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) 9 hours 52 mins 28 secs
2, Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy) same time
3, Ryan Sherlock (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce) at seven secs
4, Sean Lacey (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy)
5, Conor Murphy (Dublin West Eurocycles) all the same time
International team:
1, Britain Node4 Girodana, 29 hours 36 mins 50 secs
2, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo, at 2 secs
3, Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly, at 13 secs
4, Netherlands Koga Cycling, at 34 secs
5, France AVC Aix en Provence, at 41 secs
County team:
1, Dublin West Eurocycles, 29 hours 40 mins 48 secs
2, Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce, at 6 mins 31 secs
3, Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes, at 8 mins 5 secs
4, Dublin South UCD, at 9 mins 39 secs
5, Meath Dunboyne DID