Eve McCrystal came down in a crash on the An Post Rás na mBan and required stitches to close nasty wounds on both her elbow and knee. The Dundalk woman, riding for Garda CC, is proving one of the real stars of the race this week as she sits in sixth place on general classification (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan)
By Brian Canty
Eve McCrystal is having a week to remember at the An Post Rás na mBan as she sits in 6th place on general classification, 29 seconds down on race leader Emma Norsgaard Jorgensen of Danish squad Team Rytger.
Friday's stage 3, an 80km trek starting and finishing in Scarriff, was won by stage 1 winner Grace Garner (RST Racing Team) from the UK in a sprint from a 37-rider bunch.
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Stage 2 winner, Emma Norsgaard-Jorgensen of Team Rytger, was 2nd today and so the 16-year-old retains her overall lead.
Best of the Irish was national champion Lydia Boylan, with the Team WNT rider coming home in 4th place.
Dundalk mother-of-two McCrystal was 11th on today’s stage in what was a less eventful day than yesterday.
After Thursday’s stage 2, McCrystal was getting stitches in both her knee and elbow following a nasty crash while chasing the breakaway.
Britain's Grace Garner wins her second stage of the week during of the An Post Ras na mBan stage three in Scarriff on Friday (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan)
“After about 30 kilometres a group got away and the three of us were the last to get across,” she said of herself, Lydia Boylan (Team WNT) and Annasley Park's (Giordana Triton).
“The gap went out to 1.20 and I felt good. It was great company for me to be in but unfortunately I was taken down in a crash.
“We were really moving at the time, I don’t know what speed but there was a touch of wheels. I went over the top and hit the road hard.
“I got back on, I had to get back on, I was very determined because I had the green jersey on my back and I wanted to keep it,” she added.
Six more came up behind McCrystal and she got in with them. They picked up two riders dropped out of the break of six up ahead.
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By the finish McCrystal would only lose 29 seconds, her deficit off the pink leader’s jersey at the halfway point in the race.
“I was very happy not to lose more time yesterday,” she said.
Britain's Nikki Juniper, right, and Mirthe Wagenaar of the WV Breda Manieu.ie team battle for the climbers' points during stage 3 (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan)
“It was a tough day and I had to dig deep. I was shook after the crash and I didn’t sleep well but I managed to hold the (green) jersey again today.
“The most comfortable position is on the bike, funnily enough, but anywhere else it’s painful. Sleeping last night was difficult. But my legs feel good and it’s been a good race for me so far.
“I’d love a stage win; I’m very proud to be wearing the green jersey and be leading the team classification but I’d love a stage.
“I have the legs but the positioning is the thing. I was 11th today but I have the legs to win if I can position myself right.”
Friday’s stage 3 was another testing outing, with the riders battling strong winds and heavy rain on the 80 kilometre journey which started and finished in Scarriff.
A group of 37 riders came to the line to contest the sprint and McCrystal paid tribute to her team Claire McIlwaine for the stellar work she's done in keeping her out of trouble.
“I'm really enjoying it here, my team are fantastic and they're great to be with for an event like this. Their support really means a lot.”
And though she's enjoying the acclaim that goes with wearing a classification leader’s jersey, she knows it won't get her much when she returns to reality on Monday to children aged 6 and 7 years.
“I told them last night that mummy had a crash and got some stitches in her elbow and knee and the only thing they wanted to ask was did I win and when am I home!"
Anne Perry of the Carnac Planet X team after a crash during Friday's stage 3 in Co Clare (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan)
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