CYCLING:THE EFFECTS of wearing yellow in cycling are well documented, with many examples from history showing that riders can raise their level when they are at the head of the general classification.

Thomas Voeckler showed it last year when he battled to defend the Maillot Jaune in last year’s Tour de France, riding above expectation in the high mountains for many days. Compatriot Nicolas Baldo displayed the same fighting spirit yesterday, breaking clear inside the final three kilometres of the tough stage to Killybegs, and simply riding away from the other riders who had been battling to depose him of his lead.

He hit the line ten seconds clear of a chasing group led home by Norwegian Krister Hagan (Oneco Mesterhus) and the highly impressive Irish amateur Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles), extending his overall lead to 13 seconds.

Given that it was his first win since 2009, it’s clear how he’s responded to the pressure of leading the race. “It doesn’t happen each day that you win in a yellow jersey,” he told The Irish Times. “It began badly with a puncture before the big climb, after which I had a lot of tiredness. But I started to feel good again on the last climb, and attacked before the finish line. I kept my lead to the line; it’s a wonderful day.”

The sun-baked stage was the last of the big mountain legs in the race, and had three second category ascents plus the first category wall of Glengesh Pass to act as platforms for those who wanted to chase yellow.

There were many attacks from the start in Buncrana, but Baldo’s Switzerland Atlas Jakroo squad was up to the task of keeping things manageable. Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence), 2009 race winner Simon Richardson (Britain Team IG – Sigma Sport) and Frederick Johansson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) did get clear before Glengesh, but their progress was controlled and they were brought back on the climb itself.

Baldo had a bad scare, puncturing beforehand and being badly positioned on the slopes. The An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team pushed hard and Irishman Connor McConvey went over the top in a small breakaway group, but these were brought back.

A later attack featuring another former race winner, David McCann (RTS Racing) was also relatively short-lived, but Baldo’s closing surge was more effective.

Armstrong’s third place from the chasing group was the best result of the 25 year old’s career and was the fourth time in six days that he has been best county rider. “I want to get myself a team abroad,” he said. “No disrespect to Irish racing, but it is clear that I am on a different level.”

However best Irishman overall is McConvey, who is also one place ahead of An Post Sean Kelly team-mate Bagdonas, last year’s race winner. He is seventh overall, 24 seconds back, and is determined to fight. “I’m feeling good and the remaining stages still give the chance to do something,” he said.

The race continues today with the penultimate leg, a lumpy 161 kilometre race from Donegal to Cootehill. Baldo can expect attacks, but has yellow to give him strength.

1 Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 134.4 kilometres in 3 hours 6 mins 44 secs; 2 K Hagen (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus) at 10 secs; 3 A Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles); 4 R Lang (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp); 5 P Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo); 6 D McCann (Taiwan RTS Racing); 7 M Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing); 8 R Nyborg Broge (Denmark Blue Water Cycling); 9 L Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga Cycling); 10 G Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly); 11 P Bulling (New Zealand National Team); 12 T Gunman (New Zealand National Team); 13 M Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha); 14 R Sherlock (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce); 15 P Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) all same time.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION: 1 Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 19 hours 26 mins 28 secs; 2 T Rostollan (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 13 secs; 3 M Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) at 17 secs; 4 P Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 18 secs; 5 R Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) same; 6 M Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 21 secs; 7 C McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 24 secs; 8 G Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 33 secs; 9 R Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 37 secs; 10 W Sybrandy (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) at 39 secs; 11 D McCann (Taiwan RTS Racing) same time; 12 P Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) at 44 secs; 13 J Fumeaux (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 49 secs; 14 A Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) at 52 secs; 15 B Kuiper (Netherlands Koga Cycling) same time.

SPRINTS: 1 Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 62; 2, G. Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 60; 3, R. Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) 43.

KING OF THE MOUNTAINS: 1 David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 75; 2 M Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 61; 3 T Rostollan (France AVC Aix En Provence) 48.

UNDER-23: 1 Richard Handley (Rapha Condor Sharp) 19 hours 26 mins 46 secs; 2 L. Norman Hansen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) at 4 mins 30 secs; 3 Pieter Bulling (New Zealand National Team) at 5 mins 8 secs.

COUNTY RIDER: 1 Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) 19 hours 27 mins 20 secs; 2 R Sherlock (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce) at 7 secs; 3 P Clarke (Mayo Castlebar Western Edge) at 8 mins 54 secs. 4 A Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy) at 9 mins 43 secs;