Ryan Mullen has the U23 classification leader's jersey in the Rás. But with a strong team and placed 3rd overall he has a great chance of winning the event outright (Photo: Paul Mohan - Sportsfile)
By Shane Stokes
Seventh overall after day one, tenth at the end of day two, then ascending to fourth in the general classification on stage four, Ryan Mullen continued an upwards trend on stage five when he moved up a slot to third by the finish of the 155 kilometre race to Ballina.
The Irish road race and under 23 time trial champion was the main beneficiary when fellow Irishman Martyn Irvine missed out on a break of 18 riders which went clear inside the first hour of racing.
While Irvine and his Madison Genesis team-mates got agonisingly close to bridging, the final junction was not made and Mullen’s group pulled clear again, staying away until the line.
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The net effect was that ascent to third overall, ending the day one minute and 52 seconds behind ongoing leader Lukas Postlberger.
“It was pretty windy again,” said Mullen after the finish.
“We just took the race by the scruff of the neck again. It was always our plan to destroy the race in the crosswinds.
“It worked out being a lot windier than I thought today. Yesterday the wind was stronger but today we were just so exposed.
“The weather all played into our hands. All those races suffering around Belgium and Holland are kind of paying off now.”
Mullen told stickybottle earlier this year that he needed to develop his ability as a road race rider. His class as a time trial rider has long been obvious, and was clearly illustrated last September when he finished a very close second in the world under 23 time trial championships.
But he knows that a successful pro career will depend on being able to shine in other areas too.
Given that he is just 20 years of age, he has plenty of time on his side.
However he has already shown real progression, with his Rás ride this week proving that he is developing into a strong road rider.
“I had a really slow start to the year with a crash and injury,” he said.
“I only really came around right before the Tour of Azerbaijan, which was only ten or twelve days ago.
“Kurt [Bogaerts] has given me a very good programme where I can develop and use certain races to build for other races.
“Although I am going pretty well now, this is still a building phase for me. I am pretty excited to see how I come out of this.”
Inside the final 20 kilometres of stage five Mullen went on the attack, trying to shake off the yellow jersey Postlberger.
That proved difficult to do, with the Austrian rider immediately closing down the joint attempt by Mullen and Sebastian Schonberger (Tirol Cycling Team).
“I am the best part of two minutes behind the overall lead,” he said, explaining why he thought some leeway might be given.
“I knew inside ten kilometres I wasn’t going get two minutes, but I was looking for the stage.
“We had a few cards to play. If I attacked, then our sprinter Aidis and Aaron could sit on and if it didn’t work out, I could just lead out them.
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“Josh was in a similar sort of situation to me, although he was a bit more closely marked by yellow as he was in second.”
However while Postlberger was keeping very close tabs on these two main rivals, he was less worried about Gate.
The latter had started the stage ninth, four minutes and 35 seconds back, and was no direct threat to the yellow jersey.
“It worked out really well,” said Mullen.
“He got off the front with two others and we had a free ride in. We didn’t chase. It was close, touch and go… I was half leading out Aidis [Kruopis], but at the same time not trying to chase Aaron, just keep him in position. It was good that Aaron finished it off for us.”
Mullen had felt under the weather in the early part of the race, being particularly bothered at the end of stage four.
Although he moved up to fourth overall on that stage, he told stickybottle afterwards that he had a chest infection and needed to try to shake it as soon as possible.
He headed back to the team hotel immediately after the podium presentation, wrapped up warm, and already looked better on Thursday morning in Newport.
Some 142 kilometres later, he was pleased with how things had played out and how he was feeling.
That makes him more ambitious for the days ahead, although he said he was impressed by how Postlberger has been going.
“We just kind of have to try to attack yellow. He is riding really well,” he said.
“He had a strong team, but there are a few guys who are pretty tired now. In fairness, I have got a lot of respect for him. He is riding really well and he deserves to be in the jersey.”
Stage six takes the riders to Ballinamore and will see more climbing than in recent days. Mullen said that those ascents will change tactics for him.
“I definitely won’t be as aggressive,” he said.
“I will be trying to ride a bit more conservatively and use my head a bit more.
“At the end of the day, there are no mountains in Ireland as such. So it is just five minutes of suffering and then time trial back on.
“I am looking forward to it. We have got a good team and everyone wants to work for each other. We are riding well.”
He started again today in the white jersey of best young rider and is looking increasing good to take that award on Sunday.
He holds a three minute 29 second lead on his closest rival Jaap de Man (Team 3M) and is motivated to hold onto it until Skerries.
“I have never actually won a jersey in a UCI race, actually,” he said, pointing out the significance.
“So it would be a step in the right direction for me anyway.”
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