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No Luck for the Irish LBL18-8
Clearly this title is a play on the expression, "the luck of the Irish." Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) - an Irish racer - had his team doing all of the chasing in hopes of a dramatic finish on the day. On the final climb he kept attacking to bridge across to the lone escapee, only to be pulled back by the rest of the select group. To add insult to that injury, he had a poorly timed flat front tire that required help from the Mavic neutral service vehicle. While the mechanic was quite fast, with just eight kilometers left, it was clear to Martin, that it wasn't going to be his day again. At one point during the wheel change, you could see him pound his helmet in frustration (not at the mechanic) knowing that his team's hard work would come to naught.