Day: Saturday
Date: 16/05/98
Weather: Sunny 22oC
Subject: Stage 1 Dublin to Phoenix Park 67.53 miles @ avg 29.44mph
GC & Stage Details:
| Number | Name | Position | GC Time | Deficit |
| 57 | Wayne Randle | 16 | 2:20:30 | 3:07 (3rd in bunch sprint) |
| 56 | Robin Numan | 43 | 2:20:30 | 3:07 |
| 58 | Duncan Hewitt | 52 | 2:20:30 | 3:07 |
| 59 | Will Sanderson | 107 | 2:20:30 | 3:07 |
| 60 | Julian Mortel | 126 | 2:21:54 | 4:31 (Lost the back of the bunch in Phoenix Park) |
Dead legs at the first climb. Possibly due to travelling the day before or the high speed of the race. We all thought it was rather fast although the avg was only 29mph!!!
Found it hard going through to the front. I only ventured there 3 or 4 times.
The last 10 to 15 miles were mental down the narrow lanes as the bunch strung out. Slower riders making themselves obstacles as were the parked cars, concerteenering the string & then having to sprint up to pace (35mph) to chase the leaders.
At this stage the string was a quarter of a mile long. Maybe Dougie could work out how accurate a measurement that is as 151 riders started 150 finished, 14 riders were away & a bike measures about 1.7m.
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