Post-stage quotes:
Dominique Rollin (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada), stage winner, 3rd on GC:
“We had to take over the race at midpoint with that group getting away. We had four riders in the main break and by getting the stage win it really helps the team morale and also shows how well we are doing so far.”
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Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada), 22nd on stage, new race leader:
“It was kind of crazy at the beginning. There was a lot of attacks, a bunch of big groups tried to get off the front. At one point the Netherlands team really had to chase a big group. That came back. I was just trying to stay up front and follow wheels all day. I got away with one of my team-mates in a big group of riders and then two of my other team-mates Dom [Dominique Rollin] and Mark [Walters] both bridged up to that in another group. There were 44 guys there then… I guess you can’t really call that a breakaway.”
Q: Did you notice the yellow jersey was missing?
“Yes, he definitely looked a little nervous at the beginning of the stage. He was doing a lot, he had to do a bit too much by himself and wasn’t able to follow. In the end, it is just a case of being in the right place at the right time…it is really hard to do it.
“When he missed it, we had the team up there and worked as much as we could. There was a little break of four guys that kind of got away and we just had our whole team pull for a while. It was Mark and Josh [Thornton], myself and Dom didn’t want to do too much because we knew we had to save it for the finish.”
Q: Did you have any nervous moments?
“I was nervous for a while. There were 44 guys in that group and none of them were helping us. None of the teams were helping to bring that break back. It was a disappointment not to have any help and I don’t really know why they were leaving it all up to us. We weren’t the race leaders at the time. But they made it our responsibility and I guess it paid off for us in the end [with the stage win and the yellow jersey]”
Q: The Irish rider [Brian Kenneally] won yesterday and started the day third overall – did he try anything, in terms of getting the jersey?
“When we got over that KOM near the end there were a bunch of attacks. Guys were taking off because the break finally got caught. But we were able to follow everything and in the end, just led Dom out and he stomped it in the finish.”
Q: What is the plan now for the rest of the week?
“I would love to win this race overall, that would be huge. I think that is my main goal and that is the team’s goal – to win this race and hopefully win another stage. We would like to keep Dom in the points jersey. But our team goal first-off is to win the overall, then to try to win some stages. It is going to be hard, especially with everyone looking at us to do the work. It is pretty negative racing so we are going to have to really be on the ball and make the right decisions. We can’t do it all…we can’t do it by strength because we only have five guys. We do have a strong team but it is very hard to control it with a small team.
“I’d love to keep the KOM jersey too but that is going to come second to trying to go for the overall. We will see how it goes.”
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Roger Aiken (Armagh Big Picture Developments) - away in the final break which was caught with about seven kilometres to go:
“We got caught just over the top of the last climb. Whenever they got close we put a bit of effort in and pulled away again. With ten kilometres to go we had a minute but with that sort of hill it was hard. We weren’t really going quick up it, then next thing I looked around and there they were.
“I will take a couple of days easier and then try again.”
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Paídi O’Brien (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly), second on stage and 11th overall:
“McCann attacked with a kilometre to go. Stephen [Gallagher] was leading me out and we really had to go deep to bring him back. We couldn’t quite catch him but the American team attacked for their sprinter. It really killed me to get on their wheel so I was a bit dead starting the sprint. Then I did the sprint against him [stage winner Dominique Rollin] but he was too strong on the day.
“I really wanted to win the stage because the lads had been working really hard. We ended up bringing back the group after the KOH, Stephen and Glenn [Bak], so I wanted to reward them with the win. But maybe we will get one later in the week.”
Q: Have you been sprinting well all year?
“Yes, I have been sprinting better this year. I am really been more confident and that is a big part…if you believe it, it is half the battle. This year I am trying to believe in myself more when it comes to that.
“This race is important for us because of our Irish sponsors. That is why we are really trying to do a good Rás. We have been building up for this for a couple of months and so hopefully we can do something here.”
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Paul Griffin (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh), third on stage and 8th overall:
“There were groups going and coming back, going and coming back. It was getting a bit frustrating because you were putting in all that effort, but finally it worked.
“The team of the Canadian guy who won the stage [Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada] seemed to be pretty strong. They had the mountains jersey as well and there was a third category climb coming up and they would be anxious to get the points for that, so it was up to them to chase.”
Q: Was there much attacking in the break?
“Initially, yes, but then when the four riders got away it settled down. It was okay after that.”
Q: Are you happy with where you are overall?
“I’m pretty happy with how things are going. So far it is going well. With the Rás you have to take it one day at a time. There is no big mountain stage where everything will be decided, so every day is important.”
Q: Are you the rider now for the overall, as regards your place on the Irish team?
“It is myself and David [McCann], there is no [designated] leader. Whichever one of us gets into the right position will be it.”
Q: Will the Gap of Mamore be decisive?
“It will and it won’t. It will probably whittle it down to eight or ten guys, but there will still be a lot of racing to be done after that.”
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Cian Lynch, manager of Ireland – Subway Eat Fresh team:
“Paul is up there, we have two riders for the overall contention, two riders that we wanted up there. We have a group of 40-odd riders who are ahead in the general classification so there is an awful lot more racing left to be done.”
Q: What are the tactics for the next few days?
“For the two next stages, it’s a case of supporting our leaders overall. We have three very strong riders in Scanlon, Martin Irvine and Dermot Nally. So they will be there to support Paul and David and really watch the other teams and see what is happening.”
Q: David is a minute back; could he come back into contention?
“Yes, absolutely. There is an awful lot more racing to be done yet. I think the Estonians are out of it altogether but if you look at the other teams represented today, you had several riders from Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada, you have some Murphy and Gunn and from other teams. They will all be trying to go up the road.”
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Brian Ahern (Dublin Dundrum Town Centre/Orwell Wheelers), 6th on stage and winner of Cuchulainn Crystal award for best county rider:
“I didn’t even realise how big the break was, initially. I was in the second group, I got across with [Brian] Kenneally, David McCann and Paídi [O’Brien]. I nearly died there, to be honest with you, I really struggled at that point, but once we got up there it settled down. There was the odd lineout but it wasn’t really that bad.
“I couldn’t believe the gap, it went to five minutes on the bunch pretty quickly. I just sat tight all day, eating and drinking and doing things right. I haven’t raced that distance in three years, since the 2004 Rás. I knew the distance might get to me so I just looked after myself. Experience got me there, to be honest with you.”
Q: What have you been doing these past three years?
“If you remember, in 2004 I was second into Millstreet and then I broke my collarbone the next day. I was going to go back to Belgium then but when that happened, I just said ‘feck it’ and got a job. I have been working in the Bank of Ireland and doing the accountancy exams, so I haven’t really been racing at all. I have been too busy at work and too busy with lectures and doing other things.
“Once I got my finals last year, I decided I was going to start racing again. I started training reasonably hard over the winter, I was just consistent, really. I have had an awful season so far, I haven’t had anything resembling a result. But I sat down with my coach Mark Kiely about three months ago and came up with a plan. The last six weeks I have been really fit, I have done everything right. I actually missed Easter week because I was sick with a cold, but I have had about five or six weeks of really proper, specific hard training. It was enough to get me here.
“I was happy with how I did in the bunch sprints in the past couple of days – 24th and 30th – but I just can’t believe today. I really wasn’t expecting a result like that.”
Q: What is the plan for the rest of the week?
“Get to Skerries in one piece. That was initially the plan. I don’t have any plans for anything better than this, I would really need a stroke of luck to improve on that, although my legs are good. To be honest with you, I have had two really bad night’s sleep as well, I didn’t sleep well at all. If I got a good night’s sleep you wouldn’t know what I might do!”
