Bryan McCrystal and Damien Shaw drive an early breakaway that pulled clear in the crosswinds on Rás Mumhan stage 3 (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
By Brian Canty
Bryan McCrystal took his second ever stage win at the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan today with a show of strength on a savage day hit by brutal crosswinds.
The Team ASEA man beat Sean McKenna to the line after the two had broken clear in the final 15 kilometres of the race.
And though he missed out on the yellow jersey by 11 seconds, the Dundalk man was more than happy with his lot.
“I was away in probably all the dangerous moves,” he said
“I was in a great early move before the race was stopped and that was… that was game over nearly, if the race wasn’t stopped.
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“There was serious firepower in that. All the strongest guys were there and everyone was committed.
“I heard they was a scattering back behind but it was what it was, we were caught.”
He gathered himself afterwards and trucked on, however, going clear again.
“I got nothing after yesterday and I think after the second KOH when it levelled out a Champions Systems rider and a Dutch boy got across.
“And McKenna arrived then and it was full commitment. We really had to work hard; the Dutch guys were really switched on in the wind.”
The race was stopped again when horses came onto the route and that came when McCrystal and his breakaway men had 1’45” on the bunch.
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McCrystal on the front of what proved to be the winning escape before he got clear with McKenna as the others were swallowed up by what remained of the peloton (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
“We can’t fault the organisers; I think they had a couple of obstacles thrown at that them today but they did an unbelievable job.
“Going up Coomanaspic I was a couple of gears short I think, but McKenna didn’t get too far ahead of me.
“The Dutch guy was going south, but Dowling and the Scottish guy (Grant Ferguson) came across and it shook up a bit after that.
“The wind was a big factor, the Scottish lad went away and I had to take the race by the scruff of the neck.
“Dowling and the other two then lost contact with about 15 kilometres to go.”
That left just McCrystal and McKenna.
“All I was thinking of was the stage win but I had to ride for time because I’m down on time from yesterday.
“I managed to get the stage but I knew I wasn’t in yellow.
“I wasn’t in control of that. I needed McKenna to ride with me to the line.
“There would have been no point in me attacking him with 5k to go. I needed all the time I could get and it worked out alright.”
A handful of seconds down overall now and with four men at 52 seconds or less they’ve a lot of cards to play.
“We’ve a few things we can do. Our team is solid. I don’t have much experience of riding in teams but we’re all pulling in the one direction.
“There’s not one selfish fella in this team and we’ll give it a good go tomorrow.”
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