Archbold puts on leader's jersey after epic Kilrush stage

Gediminas Bagdonas of the An Post Sean Kelly team was first past the line at today's second stage of the Rás, after a truly gruelling days racing into severe gale force winds for entire 164 kilometre route from Portumna to Kilrush, County Clare.

The crowd waiting patiently at the finish line had expected the riders to come in after three and a half hours of racing but due to the blustery conditions the first glimpse of a cyclist came almost five hours after the race began. A quartet of international riders were the earliest to reach the seaside town with New Zealander Shane Archbold (New Zealand National Team), Australian Stuart Shaw (Australia Drapac Cycling), Ukrainian Anatoliy Pakhusov (Ukraine ISD - Lampre) and Lithuanian Bagdonas left to battle it out for the stage win.

All four gave everything in an effort to become the stage victor, but it was Bagdonas who had the most left in the tank and he crossed the line with his hands raised in the air and relief etched across his face. Archbold took second and the yellow jersey, Shaw took third and Pakhusov was fourth.

The group finished 1:23 ahead of the next rider home, Irishman Ronan McLaughlin (An Post Sean Kelly), and that time gap was enough to ensure they made up the first four names in the general classification as well. Archbold and Bagdonas remain level on time at the top of the list, but the former was better placed on countback and thus takes the yellow jersey into stage three.

Yesterday's race leader, Dean Downing (Rapha Condor Sharp), only made the top twenty and moves down to fifth in the overall classification.

After a drawn out day in the saddle in difficult conditions in form Bagdonas, winner of the Verrebroek - Beveren in Belgium on the weekend preceding the Rás, was understandably delighted at taking the win.

"It was a long day with a very strong wind. The whole team worked and helped me - in the last 30 kilometres I attacked and worked with the others. At the end I waited for the sprint, and today I was the quickest. I'm very happy!" he said.

Although Archbold, who is primarily a track rider, just missed out on the stage win, he was thrilled to get hold of the yellow jersey which was a new experience for him.

"I got second in the World Omnium Championships in March and coming into this, I've just been trying to get the road form up. I've done a lot of training and didn't get any results, so I'm happy to get a result here today, and to wear yellow is a pretty big achievement."

"I am a track rider, so I don't go uphill so well. I can get over the odd climb if I have to, but I definitely won't be contending for the yellow jersey in a few days time" he added.

The riders will all be hoping for a change in the wind speed and direction ahead of tomorrow's 175 kilometre stage between Kilrush and Castleisland, Co Kerry.

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