Day: Monday
Date: 18/05/98
Weather: Sunny 24oC
Subject: Stage 3 Tubbercurry to Westport 106.09 miles @ avg. 26.41mph
GC & Stage Details:
| Number | Name | Position | GC Time | Deficit | Stage Time |
| 57 | Wayne Randle | 14 | 9:34:56 | 2:01 | 4:01:04 @ 0:02 |
| 56 | Robin Numan | 31 | 9:36:46 | 3:51 | 4:02:23 @ 1:21 |
| 59 | Will Sanderson | 96 | 9:42:16 | 9:21 | 4:07:53 @ 6:51 |
| 58 | Duncan Hewitt | 117 | 9:50:16 | 17:21 | 4:15:53 @14:51 |
| 60 | Julian Mortel | 126 | 9:51:40 | 18:45 | 4:15:53 @14:51 |
At 60 miles today 34 riders were away at 2’30". Wayne was up there & so should the rest of us. At 66 miles the climbs on Achill Island started & the field began lining out through the narrow lanes. We all moved up to the front of the bunch. We all felt comfortable with the first two 2nd cat climbs, the 1st cat climb saw a lot of riders struggling & gaps opened up (Wayne went over in the big ring!). I was in the 23 weaving around slower riders coming back through the field, which was too small, the bigger gears too big to get going again. At this point the field had split into several groups. I was in a group of 8, the last on the road of our team. We were averaging 24’s gradually picking up riders running into the finish making our group 14. However we were well down a lot of time lost as only 5 to 6 of us were working.
Wayne had an eventful day. In the KOM he was 3rd, 5th then 1st. He got away with seven other riders only four of whom were working & he was up for the win when on the last right hander in Westport came down while chasing Dave Williams (who was sat on the back all afternoon). Evenso Wayne got 6th.
Rob finished well in the following main group @ 1’21" , Will came in next in the 5th group.
Dunc & I were in the 8th group but well down & gagging for a drink, which we had been expecting at 55 miles.
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