Matthew Walls (Cycling Leinster) may have lost the yellow jersey on stage 3 of the Quanta Capital Junior Tour of Ireland but he told stickybottle after his stage 2 victory, when he took the race lead, that a lot would happen in the stages to come.
While he said he wanted to defend the jersey, he believed he had time to lose it and take it back again. And that's exactly what happened today; the Co Meath teenager simply turning the race on its head and announcing his potential.
It is no exaggeration to say he has emerged as one of Irish cycling's hottest young talents since the start of the season. And now on this Junior Tour he has done what few Irish riders have been capable of over the last decade; taking the race by the scruff of the neck and ride all-comers into the ground.
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Today, Walls once again teamed up with Nathan Levitt (Lee Valley Youth CC Team 1) off the front of the race on stage 5, three days after they took a two-man move all the way to the finish on stage 2. Back then, Walls won the stage from Levitt and the pair finished just three seconds up on the main field.
But today was very different. After five hard days of racing, and the fatigue taking its toll, Walls and Levitt were much further ahead of the best of the rest when they finished their two-up breakaway effort into Killaloe after 119km raced in blisteringly hot conditions.
They initially went clear in a strongman's group of 20 riders with about 50km to go. That group contained many of the best in the race, though yellow jersey Luca Bednarek (Hot Tubes) was absent. And with 40km to go, Walls and Levitt took off from that group with first-year junior Jack Woods (Team Ireland).
And if Walls was the biggest winner of the day, Woods was the biggest loser, or certainly the most unfortunate rider. He made that initial 20-man group, then got clear with Levitt and Walls. But after they opened a big gap, and looked set to make it all the way, Woods lost his place up front after a puncture.
That was a bitter blow for him. But he can take great encouragement from the fact when this race reached its hardest, most decisive, moments he was one of just three riders out front turning the screw.
By the time the leading trio had spent just 5km out front, as they raced towards the third climb of the day, they had opened a gap of about 40 seconds on the 17 chasers. And about 30 seconds further back was the remains of the peloton.
Walls had started the day 3rd overall and was just one second off the yellow jersey. However, Levitt was 1:09 down at the start of the day and Woods was at 46:03. Knowing he was the man who had everything to gain, Walls did the lion's share of the work up front.
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And with 25km to go, the leaders' advantage was two minutes over the chasers and the performance of the week was well and truly in full flight. Some 10km later - with 15km remaining on the stage - the chasers had shaved 30 seconds off the gap.
However, the leading trio's gap still stood at a handsome 1:30 and Walls was still headed for the race lead, and by a big margin.
As the leaders raced into the final 5km, their lead was still bobbling around the 1:30 mark and it was at that point Woods punctured. The young Team Ireland rider very nearly made it all the way, but was left with no time to chase and catch the two leaders.
From that point, the gap continued to come down all the way to the line, but the two leaders were still well clear at the finish. They did not seem to contest the stage victory; Levitt crossing the line 1st and Walls 2nd, knowing he had retaken the yellow jersey.
Seth Jackson (FH MAS Cams) was 3rd, at 37 seconds, and two seconds later Eddie Boyle of Lee Valley took 4th, at the head of a near 20-man group.
It was the perfect result for both Walls and Levitt, reflected in the fact both sailed over the line with their arms in the air in celebration. And now it is left to Walls to defend his yellow jersey, alongside his Cycling Leinster team, on the final stage of the race tomorrow.
Walls now leads the race by 40 seconds from the Hot Tubes duo of Luca Bednarek and Jack Ray, who are 2nd and 3rd on the same time.
- For full stage 5 and classification results, please follow this link.
? No contest! Nathan Levitt takes the win on Stage 5 with Matthew Walls crossing second — both celebrating with double hands up!
Walls retakes the yellow jersey after an epic day. What a stage! #JTI25 ☘️?? pic.twitter.com/TVvLx8k4sJ
— Junior Tour Ireland (@JTIreland1) July 12, 2025
