Taylor Shelden | Jacob Rathe | Curtis Whgite | Ben Wolfe | Ulises Castillo
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
Ben Wolfe drove a break that stayed away until the final 600 meters on Stage 1. Ben Held on for 7th on the day.
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
Stage 2 from Athlone to Tipperary brought wet and wild full-gas from the gun racing through narrow country lanes. Just what The Team are at Rás Tailteann for. Ben Wolfe finished strong to move to 5th in GC. Taylor Shelden spent some time in one of the day’s many breaks
Check out team mechanic Kevin Oliveira’s view racing through narrow wet lanes near Birr on Stage 2 at Rás Tailteann. Thanks to Noel from Connacht Cycling for taking care of The Team’s driving this week!
STAGE 3
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
STAGE 4
©INPHO Bryan Keane
The peloton descends Healy Pass. Seven categorized climbs reduced the field to 25 riders on Stage 4. Tito won the only Cat 1 KOM and moves to 3rd in KOM. Curtis crashed at a difficult place to swap bikes and get back in, but finished inside time cut. Kevin has built Curtis a new bike and he will start Stage 5. Jacob was 4th on the stage and Ben remains 5th in GC with four stages remaining. Glengariff, Stage 4’s finish, was the most southern point of the 2018 route.
© YOCHILL Kevin Oliveira
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
Stage 5 saw Taylor Shelden in a move that was caught just outside Mitchelstown and Jacob Rathe take a solo flyer that had 10 seconds’ advantage in the final kilometers. Alas, Rathe was caught inside of 100 meters to go. Ulises Castillo finished 9th on the day and Ben Wolfe retains 5th in GC.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjKziYXhMZO/?taken-by=jellybellycycling
The Team’s Argon 18 bikes do not look like they have been through 5 stages of every weather and road condition imaginable thanks to WD-40 Bike
STAGE 6
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
Ulises Castillo on the podium after winning every KOM on Stage 6 at Rás Tailteann and taking the KOM jersey with two stages remaining
©INPHO Bryan Keane
All of the leaders after Stage 6
©INPHO Bryan Keane
STAGE 7
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
Jacob Rathe sprinted from the chasing group for 3rd on Stage 7 into Naas, Co. Kildare
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
STAGE 8
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
©INPHO Bryan Keane
Taylor Shelden marks KOM leader Lukas Ruegg on Stage 8 at Rás Tailteann
Curtis White in the break that had a minute and a half with 30km on Stage 8
The Team are presented one last time after Stage 8 into Skerries. Jelly Belly is the universal language!
© Caroline Kerley
Curtis White