Rostollan revs up to pull clear in mountains

Another cracking day’s racing on the An Post Rás saw the Swiss team play pass the parcel with the yellow jersey as Nicolas Baldo took over the race lead and young Frenchman Thomas Rostollan lived up to his nickname of ‘little motorbike’ to claim stage three into Buncrana.

The race was all together until the first climb of the day at Barnesmore Gap after 42km where Lasse Hansen of the Danish team Blue Water Cycling joined Swiss duo Baldo and Jonathon Fumeaux in a three-man lead group on the descent.

The trio were eventually reeled in and another five-man group, including eventual stage winner Rostollan (Aix en Provence), German Daniel Bilchmann (BikeAid), British professionals Richard Lang (Rapha Condor), Matt Higgins (Node4 Giordana) and Christian Varley of the Isle of Man, were next to go clear, heading towards Burt.

As the Rás headed through scenic Donegal on the way to the steepest climb of the day, Mamore Gap, this quintet built up a lead of more than two minutes before an 11-man chase group containing Swiss race leader Pirmin Lang (Atlas Personal), stage four hero and local rider Ronan McLaughlin (An Post) and Kerryman Daniel Clifford, riding for the Meath DID team, began to close in.

Just before the two groups could merge on the climb of Slavery after 112km of racing, Rostollan took his chance and jumped clear.

“I’m a time trial specialist,” he said later. “I’m not a climber, so riding on my own was better for me.”

Despite the odds, Rostollan crested the final four climbs alone to take over as King of the Mountains and then held off the rest of the race to win the stage by nine seconds and move into second place overall.

Just nine seconds behind the Frenchman, Swiss duo Fumeaux and Baldo were clear again, this time finishing third and fourth respectively behind Czech rider Martin Hunal.

Fourth placed Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Personal Jackroo) did enough to take over in yellow from team-mate Lang, with a three-second advantage to Rostollan and seven seconds to third overall, Hunal. “Mamore is not the type of climb I like,” said the new race leader in Buncrana.

“It’s quite steep and short. I am used to longer climbs in France but they are sweeter, not as steep. We didn’t catch the man who won today but we still have the yellow jersey. It’s too early to focus on the overall win.

“Whatever happens now is a bonus but I think we can do something great this week.”

Belfast man Connor McConvey of the An Post team struggled up Mamore alongside Baldo but lost time to the new race leader when he jumped him on the run-in, slipping down to eighth overall.