Nikolay Mihaylov wins third stage and Gediminas Bagdonas takes overall lead in 2011 An Post Ras
France AVC Aix en Provence team’s Nikolay Mihaylov won the third stage of 2011 An Post Ras between Kilrush to Castleisland on Tuesday, May 24. The second stage winner Gediminas Bagdonas took overall leader’s yellow jersey.
Nikolay Mihaylov took a total of 4 hours, 13 minutes and 50 seconds to cover the distance of 175 kilometres.
Oleksandr Sheydyk of Ukraine ISD-Lampre was in second place with the same timing of Nikolay while Peter Williams finished third with the difference of 15 seconds.
The group of two riders, Erwan Brenterch and Eugene Moriarty started things off and joined the three cyclists Peter Hawkins, James McCallum and Fraser Duncan.
After 16 kilometres, all of them build and advantage of 42 seconds, but Erwan Brenterch won the first sprint. Pete Williams led the group of nine cyclists with Bagdonas and Simon Richardson.
In the 25 kilometres, Bagdonas took advantage of three minutes and 45 seconds and got cleared, but other cyclists managed to reduce the gap. James McCallum made an exclusive move and took a lead of ten seconds and grabbed the tenth place in the race.
Bagdonas attacked the peloton, but was caught by several riders, Sheydyk and Mihaylov. Lithuania rider, Gediminas controlled the situation and with the help of his team he crossed the finish-line without any difficulty.
After the stage Mihaylov said, “It is my third win this year, the sprint wasn’t easy as we did many kilometres today and my legs were tired in the final kilometres . . . I am a climber and I was waiting all day for the final climb. I did my attack there.”
Gediminas Bagdonas took an overall lead with a timing of 12 hours, 56 minutes and 16 seconds. Oleksandr Sheydyk was a runner-up with 1 minute and 16 seconds behind Gediminas.
Nikolay Mihaylov and Peter William were in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Bagdonas was also leading in the point’s classification ahead of Archbold.
The next stage will start in Castleisland and end in Castletownbere. All the riders will cover a distance of 142 kilometres.
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