Fast. That’s the only word that can describe Tuesday's 149km trek from Newport to Bundoran. The stage started with speeds exceeding 60 kmph, and at time hitting well over 70kmph. Narrow roads from Newport to Glenhest and onto Ballina meant that it was difficult to move up in the peloton.
I started way too far back and after about 30km I finally weaved my way to the front of the race. I got away in a couple of moves but to no affect. After an hour or so of flat out racing, a break moved clear and my team mate Daire Feeley was in it. It’s a nice feeling knowing your team a represented and made my job a lot easier for the day. My day then turned to taking a back seat and stay with the main bunch and conserve as much energy as possible. I finished in the bunch, but my general classification battle is over, but now I have the opportunity to go for stages.
Half way through today’s stage I heard a number of bikes hit the tarmac, it was on a sharp left hand bend and we we’re going at a high pace. Every time I hear a crash in this race I hope it’s not my older brother Charles. I heard the crash from behind and had a bad feeling throughout the stage that he may have been in it because I hadn’t seen him, and unfortunately those feelings became reality as I heard at the finish that he had come down, and is now out of the race with concussion. He’s okay though, he’s made out of Louisburgh muscle so he will be back, stronger. Today's stage stage four is going to be a massive day in the saddle, a number of climbs stand in the way of our journey from Bundoran to Buncrana. We hit the hills of Donegal and oh am I looking forward to it.
