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Eeckhout Wins Opening Stage Of FBD Rás, Takes Race Lead
By
May 17, 2009, 19:38
Former Belgian road race champion Niko Eeckhout got the Irish-registered An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team’s FBD Rás campaign off to the best possible start today when he won the opening stage of the race.
The 38 year old unleashed a strong sprint inside the final 500 metres of the 125 kilometre stage from Kilcullen to Wexford, netting his third victory of the year and showing that he will be one of the big guns this week.
He got the better of a large group of riders, holding off Russell Downing (Britain Candi TV Marshalls), Nicholas Walker (Australia Cinelli-Down Under), Daniel Clifford (Kildare Projector World) and quadruple Tour de France stage winner Jaan Kirsipuu (Norway Giant-Veolia).
Kirsipuu had attacked alone inside the final 20 kilometres but, as was the case with an earlier, longer-lasting attempt by Jan Barta (Austria Arbö KTM Junkers) and Philip Lavery (Dublin KTM Winning Solutions), the bunch was intent on keeping things together and hauled the move back.
Like Kirsipuu, Eeckhout has ridden with some of the biggest teams in the sport and could draw on his vast experience near the end of the often-wet stage. “I looked at the race manual last night and saw that with the position of the last corner, it was crucial to be in a good position there. It all worked out well and I was able to get the stage.
“I knew I was in good form because I was second behind my team-mate in a race in Belgium last week,” he continued. “And it wasn’t that long since I won those two stages in the Vuelta a Extremadura, so I thought I would have some good form. The team’s initial goal is to target stage wins, then we will see how things work out later in the week.”
The An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team won the overall classification last year with Stephen Gallagher. While he’s missing from this year’s FBD Rás lineup, the Irish-registered, Belgian-based team is motivated to make a big impression in front of its mainly-Irish sponsors.
Downing was also marked out prior to the race as one to watch. He’s taken five victories thus far this season, including the recent Lincoln Grand Prix, and finished second overall in last year’s Tour of Ireland. “This is my second time to do the race, having done it back in 1999 with the Linda McCartney Team,” he said. “I went well in the Tour of Ireland last year and I’d love to do well this week.”
Daniel Clifford was best of the Irish riders in a fine fourth. “I was hoping to ride well on a few stages this week,” the Kildare Projector World competitor said after the podium presentation. “I got myself into the right position for the sprint and things worked out well.”
Compatriot Colin Robinson (Meath Martin Donnelly) also earned some strong applause at the end of the stage. He broke clear early on with John Dempsey (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) and outsprinted him at the day’s sole King of the Mountains climb in Knocknacree, 29.8 kilometres after the start. It was a big turnaround from last year, when he did his first FBD Rás and finished last.
Twelve months on, the former runner is going much better. “I’m cycling three years, having been doing running before that,” he said. “I was lanterne rouge [last overall] last year when I did my first Rás, but am more experienced and stronger now. The goal was to go for the King of the Mountains prime and things worked out well.”
How it happened:
162 riders lined out in changeable conditions for the first stage of the 2009 FBD Rás, a 125 kilometre race from Kilcullen to Wexford. There were three hot spot sprints, with the first of those coming 29.8 kilometres after the start and doubling as a category three KOM. The Knocknacree climb/sprint was followed by other hot spots at Tullow (40.3km) and Bunclody (58km).
Peter Ronsse (Australia Cinelli Down Under) sparked off the first attack of the race, dragging a group clear shortly after the start. This was brought back, as was a flurry of other moves. Approximately half an hour into the race three riders got clear before Castledermot. Andrew McQuaid (Dublin Zilcom-South Dublin) was dropped after a few kilometres but Colin Robinson (Meath Martin Donnelly) and John Dempsey (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) pressed on and opened a 50 second lead.
They were ultimately reeled in by the peloton but not until after the first bonus sprint, where Robinson outgalloped Dempsey to take the top points plus the first mountains jersey of the race. David McCann (Ireland National Team) and Kit Gilham (Britain C'Shire Sigmasport) were third and fourth over the line.
Ian Wilkinson (Britain Halfords Bike Hut) then took the bonus sprint in Tullow, edging out James Stewart (Merseyside KuK Kinesis Bikes) and Niko Eeckhout (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton). A number of riders struck out before the third gallop, with Jan Barta (Austria Arbö KTM Junkers), Martin Grashev (Greece Heraklion-Nessebar) and Martyn Irvine (Ireland National Team) being joined by former race winner Kristian House (Britain Rapha Condor), then by Mark Cassidy (Ireland An Post M.Donnelly), Josef Kugler (Austria Arbö KTM Junkers), Tom Southam (Britain Rapha Condor) and David Fletcher (Britain Halfords Bike Hut).
The move had some good names but was deemed too dangerous by the peloton, which chased them down. James Stewart (Merseyside KuK Kinesis Bikes) then took a rain-lashed Bunclody hot spot sprint, beating Wilkinson and his team-mate Rob Partridge (Britain Halfords Bike Hut).
Another move went away afterwards, featuring David O'Loughlin (Ireland An Post M.Donnelly), Ole Jorgen Jensen (Norway Giant-Veolia), Wouter Sybrandy (Britain C'Shire Sigmasport), Simon Kelly (Dublin IRC Ushers Insulations), Kristian House (Britain Rapha Condor), Niko Eeckhout (Ireland An Post M.Donnelly) and Peter Ronsse (Australia Cinelli-DownUnder) . This was shortlived but a subsequent attack 65 kilometres into the race by Jan Barta (Austria Arbö KTM Junkers) and Philip Lavery (Dublin KTM Winning Solutions) was more successful.
Working hard, the two leaders raced through Enniscorthy and built a 50 second lead. They remained clear for almost an hour but were hauled back with approximately 30 kilometres remaining. Next to try was Jaan Kirsipuu (Norway Giant Veoila), who attacked with approximately 25 kilometres left to race. He was joined shortly after by twelve others, namely Mark Cassidy (Ireland An Post M.Donnelly), Stephen Halpin (Ireland Development U23), Peter Ronsse (Australia Cinelli-DownUnder), Hannes Grundlinger (Austria Arbö KTM Junkers), Bogdan Stoytchev (Greece Heraklion-Nessebar), Darren Lapthorne (Britain Rapha Condor), David Fletcher (Britain Halfords Bike Hut), Rob Partridge (Britain Halfords Bike Hut), Russ Downing (Britain Candi TV Marshalls),James Williamson (Britain C'Shire Sigmasport), Peter Hawkins (Dublin IRC Ushers Insulations) and Hugh Mulhearn (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) .
However, with approximately 15 kilometres remaining, they were caught. Wouter Sybrandy (Britain C’Shire Sigmasport) gave it a shot, soloing clear, but there would be no preventing a bunch gallop and, in turn, Eeckhout’s sprint victory.
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What’s next: The 2.2-ranked race continues tomorrow with a 178 kilometre stage from Wexford to Cobh. Longer and hillier than today’s leg, the third category climbs of Glenmore and Youghal plus the second category ascent of The Sweep will encourage breakaways and could see bigger time gaps open up.
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FBD Insurance Rás (2.2), Ireland, May 17 – 24:
Stage 1, Kilcullen – Wexford:
1, Niko Eeckhout (Ireland An Post M.Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 124.6 kilometres in 2 hours 53 mins 10 secs (43.17 kph)
2, Russell Downing (Britain Candi TV Marshalls)
3, Nicholas Walker (Australia Cinelli-Down Under)
4, Daniel Clifford (Kildare Projector World)
5, Jaan Kirsipuu (Norway Giant-Veolia)
6, Joachim Tolles (Germany Kuota-Indeland)
7, Sam Bennett (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) all same time
8, Josef Kugler (Austria Arbo KTM Junkers) at 2 secs
9, Ian Wilkinson (Britain Halfords Bike Hut)
10, Stefan Ganser (German Kuota Indeland)
11, Eugene Moriarty (Meath Engraveit.ie/BDBC)
12, Simon Richardson (Britain Rapha Condor)
13, Alexander Gottfried (Germany Kuota-Indeland)
14, Ciaran Cassidy (Ireland Development U23)
15, Bogdan Stoytchev (Greece Heraklion-Nessebar) all same time
County rider:
1, Daniel Clifford (Kildare Projector World)
2, Sam Bennett (Tipperary Dan Morrissey)
3, Eugene Moriarty (Meath Engraveit.ie/BDBC)
Hot spot sprint and KOM cat 3, Knocknacree (29.8km)
1, Colin Robinson (Meath Martin Donnelly) 3”, 5pts
2, John Dempsey (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) 2”, 4 pts
3, David McCann (Ireland National Team) 1”, 3 pts
4, Kit Gilham (Britain C'Shire Sigmasport) 2 pts
Hot spot sprint in Tullow (40.3km):
1, Ian Wilkinson (Britain Halfords Bike Hut) 3”
2, James Stewart (Merseyside KuK Kinesis Bikes) 2”
3, Niko Eeckhout (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton) 1”
Hot spot sprint at Bunclody (58kms):
1, James Stewart (Merseyside KuK Kinesis Bikes) 3”
2, Ian Wilkinson (Britain Halfords Bike Hut) 2”
3, Rob Partridge (Britain Halfords Bike Hut) 1”
International team:
1, Germany Kuota Indeland, 8 hours 39 mins 34 secs
2, Norway Giant Veoila
3, Britain Candi TV-Marshall’s Pasta, all same time
County team:
1, Tipperary Dan Morrissey, 8 hours 39 mins 34 secs
2, Kildare Projector World, same time
3, Meath Engraveit.ie/BDBC, at 2 secs
General classification after stage 1:
1, Niko Eeckhout (Ireland An Post M.Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 2 hours 52 mins 59 secs
2, Russell Downing (Britain Candi TV Marshalls) at 5 secs
3, Nicholas Walker (Australia Cinelli-Down Under) at 7 secs
4, Ian Wilkinson (Britain Halfords Bike Hut) at 8 secs
5, James Stewart (Merseyside KuK Kinesis Bikes) same time
6, Daniel Clifford (Kildare Projector World) at 11 secs
7, Jaan Kirsipuu (Norway Giant-Veolia)
8, Joachim Tolles (Germany Kuota-Indeland)
9, Sam Bennett (Tipperary Dan Morrissey)
10, John Dempsey (Tipperary Dan Morrissey), all same time
11, David McCann (Ireland National Team), at 12 secs
12, Rob Partridge (Britain Halfords Bike Hut), same time
13, Josef Kugler (Austria Arbö KTM Junkers), at 13 secs
14, Stefan Ganser (Germany Kuota-Indeland)
15, Eugene Moriarty (Meath Engraveit.ie/BDBC), both same time
Points:
1, Niko Eeckhout (Ireland An Post M.Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 15
2, Russell Downing (Britain Candi TV Marshalls) 14
3, Nicholas Walker (Australia Cinelli-Down Under) 13
4, Daniel Clifford (Kildare Projector World) 12
5, Jaan Kirsipuu (Norway Giant Veoila) 11
Mountains:
1, Colin Robinson (Meath Martin Donnelly) 5 pts
2, John Dempsey (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) 4
3, David McCann (Ireland National Team) 3
4, Kit Gilham (Britain C'Shire Sigmasport) 2
Under 23:
1, Nicholas Walker (Australia Cinelli-Down Under) 2 hours 53 mins 6 secs
2, Daniel Clifford (Kildare Projector World) at 4 secs
3, Sam Bennett (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) same time
4, Ciaran Cassidy (Ireland Development Under 23) at 6 secs
5, Mark McNally (Britain Halfords Bike Hut) same time
CI Category 2:
1, Daniel Clifford (Kildare Projector World), 2 hours 53 mins 6 secs
2, John Dempsey (Tipperary Dan Morrissey), same time
3, Sam Bennett (Tipperary Dan Morrissey), at 2 secs
County rider:
1, Daniel Clifford (Kildare Projector World), 2 hours 53 mins 10 secs
2, Sam Bennett (Tipperary Dan Morrissey)
3, John Dempsey (Tipperary Dan Morrissey), both same time
International team:
1, Germany Kuota Indeland, 8 hours 39 mins 34 secs
2, Norway Giant Veoila
3, Britain Candi TV – Marshall’s Pasta, both same time
County team:
1, Tipperary Dan Morrissey, 8 hours 39 mins 34 secs
2, Kildare Projector World, same time
3, Meath Engraveit.ie/BDBC, at 2 secs
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