Irish rider Brian Kenneally rode to an excellent victory on stage two of the FBD Insurance Rás today, jumping clear from a thirteen man breakaway inside the final two kilometres and hitting the finish line in Loughrea two seconds clear.

The Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC rider suffered a bad crash in last month’s Shay Elliott Memorial but showed he was fully recovered in taking the second Rás stage win of his career, some seven years after he triumphed on a stage of the 2000 race.

Tony Martin (Germany Thuringer Energy) placed second, with Paul Griffin (Ireland Subway) and Mark Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) making it three Irish in the top ten when they took sixth and eighth respectively.

Overnight leader Mart Ojavee finished back in the main bunch, losing the yellow jersey to promising 20 year old Dutch rider Ricardo Van der Velde. He had started the day second overall thanks to the time bonuses gained in three of yesterday’s hot spot sprints, and is now three seconds clear of Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) in the general classification. Kenneally is third overall, five seconds back.

Van der Velde and his brother Alain – also on the Netherlands team here - are sons of former top professional Johan Van der Velde, who finished third in the 1982 Tour de France and also placed in the top 15 on three other occasions.

How it unfolded:

Under mainly cloudless skies, 143 riders lined out in Templemore for the 147 kilometres second stage of the FBD Insurance Rás. The day was a hiller one than the opening leg of the race, with three climbs - Curreeney Cross (category 2 KOM), Lecarrow (category 3 KOM) and Killanena (category 3 KOM) featuring en route to the finish in Loughrea.

Following the drop of the flag, things got off to an aggressive start with constant attacks being fired off in the opening kilometres. Mountains leader Jesse Anthony (Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) experienced bike problems early on, but was able to regain his place in the bunch despite the high speeds.

Alo Jakin (Estonia Kalev Chocolate) and Robin Kelly (Waterford Comeragh CC) were the first riders to succeed in opening a decent gap, attacking about twenty minutes into the stage and building a maximum advantage of 1’05 before being reeled in. A thirty man group then went clear on the approach to the Curreeney Cross climb but these were also hauled back before the start of the 6.7 kilometre ascent.

Pushed along by a strong tailwind [which would see them cover 44 kilometres in the first hour], the peloton stayed largely together until the top, where mountains leader Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) outsprinted closest rival Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) and extended his advantage by two points. Patrick Gretsch (Germany Thuringer Energy) was third.

After the descent, Glenn Bak (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) went clear and opened up an eighteen second lead over the peloton. He was caught and then Ryan Roth (USA Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Nathan Jones (Kildare Newbridge Remax) countered.

These were joined by Simon Kelly (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) and Scott McDonald (Meath MyHome.ie/ BDBC) before being reeled in, with a subsequent move by Brendan Brooks (Australia FRF Couriers NSW IS) and Mads Bugge (Denmark Vision Bikes) also proving unsuccessful.

Stephen Gallagher (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) and double Rás champion Chris Newton (Britain Stena Line/Recycling.co.uk) were next to try, opening up a 27 second lead over the peloton. They were away for several kilometres, resisting a chase by Peter McDonald (Australia FRF Couriers NSW IS), Dominique Perras (USA Kelly Benefit Strategies) and René Birkenfeld (Germany Stevens Von Hacht) before eventually succumbing to the pace of the main bunch.

Around about the 95 kilometre point, three riders went clear and hit the start of the Lecarrow second category climb with a decent lead. René Birkenfeld (Germany Stevens Von Hacht), Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) and Justin Spinelli (USA Kelly Benefit Strategies) opened up a 12 second gap and crested the summit in that order, while mountains jersey leader Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) set off in pursuit. He was unable to bridge across before the prime line, but picked up fourth place and took two points, thus limiting the inroads closest rival Van der Velde made into his lead.

Back in the bunch, Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers) crashed. He remounted and was helped back to the peloton by team-mates Brendan Brooks and Chris Jory. Meanwhile Anthony had successfully got across to the three leaders and these four were then joined by nine chasers at the 105 kilometre point.

That made it 13 up front, namely Paul Griffin (Ireland Subway), Van der Velde, Yvo Kusters and Dennis Kreder (all Netherlands), Mark Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly), Peter McDonald (Australia FRF Couriers NSW IS), Benjamin Justesen (Denmark Vision Bikes), Dominique Rollin (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada), Anthony, Spinelli, Birkenfeld, Ryan Roth (US Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC).

The gap at this stage was 24 seconds but Tony Martin (Germany Thuringer Energy) was determined to get across, even if it meant doing it alone. He jumped away from the main bunch and rode strongly on the final climb of the day, the third category Killanena, bridging the gap. At the front of the group, Anthony won the prime from Birkenfeld, Van der Velde and McDonald and thus increased his lead once more.

With about 26 kilometres remaining, Justesen’s legs gave out and he dropped back, reducing the lead group’s number to thirteen. The gap was hovering around 37 seconds but despite a hard chase behind, the peloton was unable to make any significant inroads into the break. With 20 kilometres to go it was 32 seconds; ten kilometres later it was up to 53 seconds and it was looking almost certain that the winner would come from the group.

Realising this, Kenneally was determined to give it a shot. After one of the Dutch riders tried unsuccessfully to get clear, he attacked hard inside the final two kilometres and opened a decisive lead. He put his head down and gave it everything to fend off the chase and hit the line two seconds clear, repeating his stage win of seven years ago.

Tony Martin took second, while Ryan Roth netted third and Griffin was next best of the Irish in sixth. Van der Velde crossed the line in tenth but with overnight leader Mart Ojavee finishing 1’06 back in 31st place, the 20 year old Dutch rider took over at the top of the general classification. He also retained his lead in the best under 23 classification, while Anthony and Dominque Rollin ended the day as leaders of the mountains and points competitions.

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FBD Insurance Rás (2.2)

Stage 2 Templemore – Loughrea (provisional results):

1, Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC) 147 kilometres in 3 hours 22 mins 21 secs
2, Tony Martin (Germany Thuringer Energy) at 2 secs
3, Ryan Roth (USA Kelly Benefit Strageties)
4, Dominique Rollin (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada)
5, René Birkenfeld (Germany – Stevens Von Hacht)
6, Paul Griffin (Ireland Subway)
7, Peter McDonald (Australia FRF Couriers)
8, Mark Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly)
9, Yvo Kusters (Netherlands)
10, Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands)
11, Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada)
12, Dennis Kreder (Netherlands) at 12 secs
13, Justin Spinelli (US Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 55 secs
14, Chris Newton (Britain Stena Line/Recycling.co.uk) at 1 min 4 secs
15, Josef Soukup (Czech Republic Sparta Praha) at 1 min 6 secs

King of the mountains primes:

Curreeney Cross, category 2 KOM (43.4 km):

1, Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) 10
2, Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) 8
3, Patrick Gretsch (Germany Thuringer Energy) 6
4, Dominque Rollin (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) 4
5, Ben Raby (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) 3
6, Sonke Thiel (Germany Stevens Von Hacht) 1

Lecarrow, category 3 (98.2 km)

1, René Birkenfeld (Germany Stevens Von Hacht) 5 pts
2, Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) 4
3, Justin Spinelli (USA Kelly Benefit Strategies) 3
4, Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) 2

Killanena, category 3 (108.4 km)

1, Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) 5 pts
2, René Birkenfeld (Germany Stevens Von Hacht) 3
3, Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) 2
4, Peter McDonald (Australia FRF Couriers) 1

County rider:

1, Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC) 3 hours 22 mins 21 secs
2, Rory Wyley (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) at 1 min 6 secs
3, Derek Burke (Dublin Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) same time

International team:

1, Netherlands, 10 hours 7 mins 19 secs
2, US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada, at 54 secs
3, USA Kelly Benefit Strategies, at 1 min 47 secs

County team:

1, Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC, 10 hours 9 mins 15 secs
2, Dublin Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group, at 1 min 6 secs
3, Tipperary Dan Morrissey, same time

General classification:

1, Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) 7 hours 15 mins
2, Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) at 3 secs
3, Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC) at 5 secs
4, Dominique Rollin (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) at 7 secs
5, René Birkenfeld (Germany Steveans Von Hacht)
6, Yvo Kusters (Netherlands)
7, Mark Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/ M. Donnelly Sean Kelly)
8, Peter McDonald (Australia FRF Couriers)
9, Tony Martin (Germany Thuringer Energy)
10, Paul Griffin (Ireland Subway) all same time
11, Ryan Roth (USA Kelly Benefit Strategies)
12, Dennis Kreder (Netherlands) at 17 secs
13, Justin Spinelli (USA Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 1 min
14, Mart Ojavee (Estonia Kalev Chocolate) at 1 min 1 sec
15, Paídi O’Brien (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 1 min 5 secs

Points:

1, Dominque Rollin (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) 24
2, René Birkenfeld (Germany Steveans Von Hacht) 18
6, Yvo Kusters (Netherlands) 17

Mountains:

1, Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) 27
2, Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) 23
3, René Birkenfeld (Germany Steveans Von Hacht) 9

Under 23:

1, Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) 7 hours 15 mins
2, Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) at 3 secs
3, Yvo Kusters (Netherlands) at 7 secs

County rider:

1, Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC) 7 hours 15 mins 5 secs
2, Sean Lacey (Dublin Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group), at 1 min 6 secs
3, Brian Ahern (Dublin Dundrum Town Centre Orwell) same time

Cycling Ireland category 2:

1, Brian Ahern (Dublin Dundrum Town Centre Orwell) 7 hours 16 mins 11 secs
2, Conor McGrath (Waterford Comeragh)
3, Kieran Downey (Armagh Big Picture Developments)

International team:

1, Netherlands, 21 hours 45 mins 31 secs
2, US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada, at 54 secs
3, USA Kelly Benefit Strategies, at 1 min 47 secs

County team:

1, Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC, 21 hours 47 mins 27 secs
2, Dublin Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group, at 1 min 6 secs
3, Tipperary Dan Morrissey, same time