A remarkable turn around in fortunes at the FBD Insurance RÁS yesterday. Chris Newton’s Recycling.co.uk team managed to get into every break going and controlled the race until with around 40 kms left to go a group of 30 riders pulled away, containing several recycling boys including Newton – and then they drove hard to distance the break from the peloton and the yellow jersey.

Strong headwinds and hard racing continue to influence the race, so there may well be some more changes especially with the race heading into the hills today. It’s a lumpy one too, a 150 kilometre stage from An Daingean to Listowel. The riders will face four third category climbs, one second category and the first category ascent of The Maum, 27 kilometres from the line. So it should be another good day’s racing.

Results – Stage 3 – May 23 – Cobh to An Daingean – 173 km

1. Joshua Marden (Aus) FRF Couriers 4.42.49 (39.32 km/h)
2. Lukasz Modzelewski (Pol) Legia Bazylisek
3. Mehall Fitzgerald (Irl) MyHome.ie Cycleways
4. Mike Friedman (USA) TIAA-CREF
5. Paul Healion (Irl) Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group
6. Chris Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk
7. Peter Herzig (Aus) FRF Couriers
8. Simon Kelly (Irl) Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group
9. Morten Hegreberg (Nor) Sparebanken Vest
10. Tommy Evans (Irl) IRC Usher Insuls.

General classification after stage 4

1. Mike Friedman (USA) TIAA-CREF 12.05.50
2. Chris Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk 0.22
3. Danny Pate (USA) TIAA-CREF 0.23
4. Tommy Evans (Irl) IRC Usher Insuls. 0.30
5. Morten Hegreberg (Nor) Sparebanken Vest
6. Simon Kelly (Irl) Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group 0.38
7. David O’Loughlin (Irl) Grant Thornton
8. Kristian House (GBr) Recycling.co.uk
9. Brian Kenneally (Irl) MyHome.ie Cycleways
10. Martin Prazdnovsky (Svk) Sparebanken Vest 0.50