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2006 As has been the case each day, today’s fourth stage of the FBD Insurance Rás saw another big reshuffle in the general classification. For the third day running the yellow jersey of race leader finished over three minutes back, changing hands once more, while the list of possible winners of the race grew ever shorter. First past the line was Irish rider Ciarán Power (Éireann Dan Morrissey), the former double Rás winner fulfilling his goal of winning a stage in this year’s race. Earlier this year he underwent an operation for endofibrosis, the surgery correcting a blood flow obstruction which was limiting his power output in competition, and while he has been racing less than a month, he was able to finish comfortably clear of breakaway companion Lukasz Modzelewski (Poland Legia Bazylisek). Four seconds after Power crossed the line, his Navigators Insurance team-mate David O’Loughlin (both Irishmen have been temporarily released by the US pro team to ride the FBD Rás) thundered home, the Irish road race champion finishing 14 seconds clear of chasers Tommy Evans (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations), Danny Pate (USA TIAA-CREF), Kristian House (Britain Recycling.co.uk) and Morten Hegreberg (Norway Sparebanken Vest). This was almost enough of a margin for O’Loughlin to take yellow, but Pate just managed to regain the jersey he had lost 24 hours earlier. He ended the day one second ahead of O’Loughlin in the general classification, and seven up on Evans and Hegreberg. House is fifteen seconds back while earlier breakaway companions Simon Kelly (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) and Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers) are 1 minute and 1 minute 16 seconds off the race lead. Both Mike Friedman (USA TIAA-CREF) and 2003/2005 FBD Insurance Rás winner Chris Newton (Recycling.co.uk) finished in a bunch 7 minutes and 50 seconds back, losing any hope of winning the race. They had started the day first and second overall but are now outside the top ten. What has been a particularly aggressive edition of the Rás appears to have dashed the chances of both. Power was one of seven riders who were clear early on in the stage, the break being joined by O’Loughlin, Pate, Modzelewski and nine others just before the day’s first category climb of The Maum. That junction took place approximately 40 kilometres before the finish, with Power, Modzelewski and O’Loughlin making their surges closer to home. Power was delighted to achieve his ambition of a stage win. “It was a fantastic day,” he said. “We were away with a group of six early on and then the main contenders came across. I still had some legs and I managed to get away in the last few kilometres. I then held off the Pole in the sprint.” “I am thrilled to get the win as this is one of my first races back after an operation earlier this year. I will probably take it easy tomorrow and then we will see what happens after that.” “Today and tomorrow were the two stages I was looking to maybe do something…I got the win today, so I don’t have to worry about tomorrow. It is great to get the victory, I am over the moon. To be cycling again is good, but to get the win is fantastic. Especially after I said I wanted to get one, that is great.” Power and O’Loughlin normally race on the same team and that played out in their favour. “In the last kilometre, I made the Pole aware that I ride on the same team as David,” he said. “I told him that it didn’t make a difference to me if he (David) came across or not, so that put added pressure on him to stay on front in the last kilometre. Everything worked out well.” He started the day in the King of the Mountains jersey, lost it to Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers) but said that he wasn’t that concerned. “Coming into the race I had no interest in that jersey, I just wanted to get it because Keegan [his son] was coming to the stage finishes. Then when I had the jersey, I said I may as well go for it. But today was a bit of a hassle because the riders who were actually aiming for that competition were chasing me down. It took a long time to get out of the bunch as a result of that but when I did, I had good legs.” “I was feeling good today, I have been feeling good all week. I haven’t raced properly in about six weeks so I am riding into it, feeling better each day.” He described how he got away. “There were a couple of drags and Tommy put an effort in,” he stated. “I think Danny Pate closed it down. I just waited for him to make the effort and then I jumped hard on the right side…there was no response. I got close to the others but I am delighted for Ciarán, it is great that he got the stage.” Ireland manager Frank Campbell said that he was very happy. “We had a bit of misfortune the first day because we missed the group and had to do a lot of riding. That labelled us as being keen,” he said. “But since then it has nearly gone exactly to plan. We knew it was a real race, it is the Rás, it is an proper international race.” “The other guys on the team are motivated, they have been about, they know what is going on. Conor Murphy had a magnificent ride today for David O’Loughlin. He was driving it, he just drove, drove, drove all day. “I am actually happy we didn’t take the jersey. We are as close as possible to taking it without having it, so that is perfect. We didn’t want that just yet as it is a young team and nobody has held the jersey for two days here in this race. So I am quite happy to take that jersey Saturday afternoon.” On Friday the squad will have a big test against the clock. An important ride there is important. “The team time trial is probably the biggest drawback we have because the team was only pulled together for this event,” said Campbell. “But they are five strong lads and David is in magnificent form. He will be there or thereabouts when the race is over. We are not worried about winning the team time trial, anyway, we are happy to ride well and be up there close to the others.” Given that he gave up international duties since moving back to Ireland from France a couple of years ago, Tommy Evans is riding exceptionally well. He was fourth today and is now third overall, just 7 seconds off the race lead. He also took over in the points jersey and was interviewed on the stage end platform. “We got a good group away, that was very fortunate. I punctured early on but was able to get back up there. I got in a good group and it worked out well.” Four other riders are in the running for the final win. Morten Hegreberg (Norway Sparebanken Vest) is level with Evans, Kristian House is 15 seconds away from yellow, Simon Kelly (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) is performing very well and is just a minute away from the lead, and Peter Herzig is 1 minute and 16 seconds back. The rest of the field are at least 4 minutes and 45 seconds back, so it’s hard to see anyone else being in with a shout. As regards the other classifications, Evans is best county rider, John McCarthy (Kerry Earl of Desmond) was tenth today and has fortified his lead in the category 2 competition and Paídi O’Brien (Ireland Grant Thornton) is best in the Ben McKenna trophy for Under 23 riders. Norway Sparebanken Vest are top International team and Evans’ Dublin IRC Usher Insulations squad lead the County Team classification. 138 riders lined out in damp, cold conditions for the fourth stage of the FBD Insurance Rás. The 150 kilometre race from An Daingean (Dingle) to Listowel was seen as perhaps the hardest of the race, with seven categorised climbs and many undulating roads coming along the way. Ray Clarke (Éireann Dan Morrissey) launched the first attack of the day, shortly after the end of the neutralised section. He was brought back soon afterwards, after which Cody Stevenson (Australia FRF Couriers), Jehudi Schoonacker (Ireland M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) and Martin O’Loughlin (Éireann Dan Morrissey) went away. Joined by Denis Lynch (Cork Murray Ford Developments), the quartet opened up a 30 seconds advantage. Lynch took top points on the day’s first climb, the category 3 ascent at Fahan (12.3 km), with Stephenson, O’Loughlin and Schoonacker next across the prime line. Some chasers then join before the day’s second climb, the category 3 Baile Icin (17.5 km). Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers) sprinted over ahead of Ciarán Power (Éireann Dan Morrissey), with an unidentifiable Germany Stevens rider taking third, his number obscured by his rain jacket. Fabian Brzezinski (Germay Stevens) is fourth. The whole group is however brought back by the peloton soon afterwards. Next to try was Dieter Droger (Britain Doncaster Stena Line), who was soon joined by Herzig. After taking first on the previous climb, he was equal with Power in the King of the Mountains ranking and was keen to move ahead. Although he and Droger were caught and Johannes Sickmuller (Germany Stevens) went clear to take top points at the category 3 KOH at Casadh na Graige (21 km), Herzig took second ahead of Joe McDonnell (Australia FRF Couriers) and Ciarán Power (Éireann Dan Morrissey) 2. He thus became the new KOM leader on the road. Shortly afterwards, Mark Lovatt (Britain Doncaster Stena Line) attacked. Mehall Fitzgerald (Meath MyHome.ie Cycleways.com), third yesterday, set off in pursuit. However he was not able to make it across. Lovatt took top points on the day’s fourth climb, the category 2 Baile na hÁith, while Power regained the KOM lead when he went clear and took second. McDonald, Sickmuller, Herzig and Newton were the others in the top six. Power then went back to the bunch, which passed again through the start village of An Daingean after the 38.5 kilometre loop. Leading category 2 rider John McCarthy (Kerry Earl of Desmond) showed his determination when he set off in pursuit of Lovatt soon afterwards. He was picked up by three chasers - Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers), Denis Lynch and his Cork Murray Ford Developments team-mate Michael Fitzgerald, and these four then caught Lovatt to make it five ahead. Lovatt led Herzig, Fitzgerald, and McCarthy across the prime line at the category 3 climb of Garraí na dTor (49.9 km), and the five then pressed onwards. It was raining heavily now and the temperatures was an unseasonably low nine degrees. Herzig added to his KOM total when he was first to the top of the cat 3 climb at An Draighneain (59 km), leading Lovatt, McCarthy and Fitzgerald over the line. Power was aware that he was losing his chance of holding onto the mountains jersey and so he bridged soon afterwards with Greg Reian (Germany Stevens). Jaroslaw Welniak (Poland Legia Bazylisek) was also trying to get across and closed to within 46 seconds, the main field at this point being 1 minute 15 seconds back. However the Pole soon realised it was an impossible task and so he sat up and went back to the bunch. The gap went out to 1 minute and 30 seconds and continued to rise. The US TIAA-CREF team of race leader Mike Friedman wasn’t prepared to send its riders to the front so several other teams put a rider or two at the head of the field. However, realising the race was going away from them, ten riders clipped away and tried to bridge the gap. Evan Oliphant (Britain Doncaster Stena Line), Ryan Connor (Ireland Grant Thornton), yesterday’s stage winner Joshua Marden (Australia FRF Couriers), Are Andresen (Norway Sparebanken Vest), Lukasz Modzelewski, Jaroslaw Welniak (Poland Legia Bazylisek), Bryan Smith (USA TIAA-CREF), Alex Hagman (Surrey Racing League), Eoin Whelan (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations) and Ray Clarke (Éireann Dan Morrissey) got clear but were soon hauled back. However Clarke was determined and went clear again almost immediately with Conor Murphy (Ireland Grant Thornton) and Cody Stephenson (Australia FRF Couriers). Nine others joined up while, up front, the leaders were heading through Castlemaine (82.3 km). The additions to the chase bunch were Kristian House (Britain Recycling.co.uk), David O’Loughlin, Simon Kelly (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group), Morten Hegreberg (Norway Sparebanken Vest), Lukasz Modzelewski (Poland Legia Bazylisek), Danny Pate, Bryan Smith (USA TIAA-CREF), Tommy Evans (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations) and Mehall Fitzgerald (Meath MyHome.ie Cycleways.com). The ten riders had soon opened a minute’s lead on the peloton, which seemed to have lost all impetus, and continued to make progress. They had plenty of motivation to work, as those lying third to eight on GC were there, as well as 11th placed Cody Stephenson. Yellow Jersey Mike Friedman had missed the move, and so too defending Rás champion Chris Newton. After 92 kilometres of racing they were 1 minute and 15 seconds back, and continued to make up ground. In contrast, the peloton was going backwards and so several riders tried to get away. Eight went clear in what was the third group on the road - Robin Sharman (Britain Recycling.co.uk), Paidi O’Brien (Ireland Grant Thornton), Wayne Randle (Britain Doncaster Stena Line), Kurt Anders Fostervold, Are Andresen (Norway Sparebanken Vest), Eoin Whelan (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations), Colm Bracken (Kildare) and Stephen O’Sullivan (Meath MyHome.ie Cycleways.com). But with a gap of 2 minutes and 43 seconds to close, it was a tough task. With about ten kilometres to go until the start of the first category Maum climb, Evan Oliphant crashed in the chase group and was delayed while waiting for a new bike. Meanwhile his group had been getting ever closer to the front seven and the junction was finally made just before the Maum, after about 108 kilometres of racing. Straight away some of the more fatigued riders started going out the back of the climb including Murphy, who had been doing major work to try to help his team leader O’Loughlin. Bryan Smith, Denis Lynch and Mehall Fitzgerald were also in trouble, while Ray Clarke briefly lost contact on the steep climb, but then got back on. Lukasz Modzelewski was first over the prime line, followed by Herzig, who was boosting his lead over Power. Greg Reian was giving chase, while Power, Evans, O’Louglin and House were a little further back and crested in that order. Modzelewski had a lead of about ten seconds on the next riders heading along the plateau at the top, but there was a regrouping of sorts inside the final 20 kilometres of racing. With about 14 kilometres to go Modzelewski and Power jumped away and quickly opened a ten second lead over a five man chasing group, namely House, O’Loughlin, Hegreberg, Pate and Evans. With eight kilometres to go the leading duo were 40 seconds ahead. O’Loughlin knew he had to get as close to yellow as possible and he managed to give Pate the slip, setting off in pursuit of Power and Modzelewski. With five kilometres to go he was 36 seconds back but he narrowed the gap all the way to the line, getting within a handful of seconds of the leading two before the line. Power was in the process of winning the stage, fulfilling a target he had set himself before the FBD Insurance Rás started, while Modzelewski crossed the line a second back. O’Loughlin raced in a further three seconds later, determination written all over his face, but Evans, Pate, House and Hegreberg were within fourteen seconds of him, the American just managing to regain the yellow jersey he had lost on Tuesday’s stage. Stevenson led in the next bunch a minute and 3 seconds after Power’s victory, while the deposed race leader Friedman and his closest rival Newton came in a whole 7 minutes and 50 seconds down, any ambitions of winning the race now dashed. As was the case for the past three days, each stage has seen several key riders lose their chance of taking the final yellow jersey. The race has been a process of elimination and now, after stage four, just six other riders are within a minute of Pate’s yellow jersey. Tomorrow’s stage may reduce that further. After a transfer by ferry, the riders will set out from Kilrush with 178 kilometres ahead of them. They will travel through towns such as Milltown Malbay, Lahinch, Ennistymon, Kinvara and Oughterard along the way to An Cheathú Rua (Carraroe), crossing just one categorised climb, but as this year’s race has proven, it is the fast, aggressive and tactical racing rather than the hills which seems to be causing the big time gaps. 1, Ciarán Power (Éireann Dan Morrissey) 149.8 kilometres in 3 hours 42 mins 42 secs Category 3 KOM at Fahan (12.3 km): 1, Denis Lynch (Kerry Earl of Desmond) 5 1, Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers) 5 pts 1, Johannes Sickmuller (Germany Stevens) 5 1, Mark Lovatt (Britain Doncaster Stena Line) 10 1, Mark Lovatt (Britain Doncaster Stena Line) 5 1, Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers) 5 1, Lukasz Modzelewski (Poland Legia Bazylisek) 15 pts 1, Tommy Evans (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations) 3 hours 43 mins International team: 1, Éireann Dan Morrissey, 11 hours 15 mins 38 secs 1, Cork Murray Ford Developments, 11 hours 21 mins 28 secs 1, Danny Pate (USA TIAA-CREF) 15 hours 49 mins 13 secs 1, Tommy Evans (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations) 39 1, Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers) 52 points Ben McKenna Trophy Under 23 rider: 1, Paídi O’Brien (Ireland Grant Thornton) 15 hours 57 mins 4 secs 1, John McCarthy (Kerry Earl of Desmond) 15 hours 57 mins 2 secs 1, Tommy Evans (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations) 15 hours 49 mins 20 secs 1, Norway Sparebanken Vest, 47 hours 36 mins 54 secs 1, Dublin IRC Usher Insulations, 48 hours 11 mins 3 secs |
