May 23, 2007 (Dungloe, Ireland) – Here I am, sitting in my room after a hard day caused by the Irish weather which finally showed up. I’m just off the massage table and normally I should be heading to dinner with a BIG appetite. Things are unusual sometimes or should I say, all too usual?

Five year ago when I first did this race, we were down in the south of the country and if my memory is right, every night we had chicken Cordon Bleu served with mint sauce. The one time they served us fish was a huge relief.

This year, I can’t wait to get this meal served again because when it’s done right, it’s delightful. So far, our nightmare turns out to be potatoes and over-cooked frozen carrots and broccoli. Normally I would be satisfied, but when you ask for some variation they bring mash potatoes with the roasted ones, and then boiled”¦and then chips!

The funniest was when they gave us all three of them in the same meal, – if you have enough of the roasted, dig into the mashed! Excuse moi Édith, je sais, je t’avais promis de ne pas parler bouffe”¦.

By the way, we finally feel like we are in Ireland. The wind is picking up and the sun has vanished. The closer we get to the coast, the more cliché the views become. Rolling hills covered with grass and small bushes from being blown by the wind for countless ages. Rock formations appear everywhere. Only the sheep were missing to complete the post card”¦ but, there is a warning tomorrow that they could be on the roads!

I almost forgot – we raced today! The fourth stage was nothing too different from the other days, except for the tail wind that turned in to a crosswind at midday. The field shattered a few times and split on the run in to town, especially while we were chasing a five-man breakaway. We used the crosswind to give a bit of a hard time to the rest of the field.

Coming toward the finish line, we all got surprised by the technical last kilometer. A few u-turns and a steep downhill with 500 meters to go, followed by 300m climb to the line. A gap opened while steering in the unknown which forced me to come around the lead-out guys who were pulling off.

I died on the winner’s front wheel to pad my point’s jersey with a second place. Things stayed the same; I’m still in third spot in GC and Jesse is holding on to the yellow. At the moment I’m crossing my fingers since I’m heading to the restaurant. What’s on the menu, Taters? You’ll know tomorrow!