Roger Aiken showed that his time based in Belgium this season as part of the Sean Kelly Cycling Academy has paid off in spades when he won the opening stage of the 2005 FBD Insurance Rás today. 

Roger Aiken winning Stage 1 into Emyvale

Part of the record bunch of 197 riders

The Louth-Safe Cycling rider was one of four riders who clipped away from a long-running sixteen man breakaway in the closing stages of the 136 kilometre stage from Dublin to Emyvale, and sprinted home ahead of Morten Hegreberg (Norway – Sparebanken), Kevin Dawson (Yorkshire – Trinity Capital) and Chris Newton (GB – Recycling.co.uk), the overall winner two years ago.

Hegreberg’s second place on the stage plus his first and second in bonus sprints was enough to see him take the first yellow jersey of the eight day, 2.2 ranked race. He ends the rain-lashed day just one second ahead of Aiken, with Dawson and Newton both within ten seconds of his lead.

The main bunch finished over three minutes down, ending the aspirations of many riders. Stephen Gallagher was the only Ireland – Grant Thornton to get into the day’s big break, but he lost his place at the front of the race shortly afterwards. Gallagher and the rest of the Irish national side finished back in the main field, as did many of the other riders who started the race aiming for a high placing. Just one day down, but already this FBD Insurance Rás is taking no prisoners.

How it happened:

A record field of 197 riders lined out for the start of the eight day, 2.2 ranked race. 21 of the teams in the race were foreign, and with several of these being professional set-ups, it made the race even more unpredictable than normal. Who would be the strong teams? Who would be the contenders for overall victory? All was unknown at this point, leaving much to be discovered over the coming days.

Following a processional departure from the West County hotel race HQ shortly after 12, the riders proceeded down the Quays to Dublin’s O’Connell street, where they assembled outside the historic GPO building. There was a decent crowd of spectators to cheer the riders as they moved off at 12.30, saturated by a rain shower, after which the race proper started thirty minutes later near Swords. First to open a significant gap was Hegreberg, the Norwegian beginning the day as he would eventually end it: in front. He was joined by US-Tradewind Sports-CCB’s Chris Harnish, but both were hauled back.

A number of other attacks followed, including a move by Ian MacGregor (US – Tiaa-Cref) and 43 year old double Rás winner Philip Cassidy (Meath Cycleways.com), plus a solo effort by John Dempsey of the Ireland – Grant Thornton team, but these too were nullified.

Ten kilometres after the start a crash brought down a large number of riders, including former professional Morgan Fox (Dublin Murphy and Gunn). He got into the ambulance but then opted to continue. However, others were even less fortunate, with several riders being ruled out of the race just minutes after they started it.

At the day’s first hot spot sprint, 2000 race winner Julian Winn (Wales Stena Line) beat Aidan Crowley (Meath Cycleways.com) and Mick Hennessy (Cork Nucleus) to the line in Balrothery, nabbing crucial bonus seconds. However, all three missed a ten-man move which went clear shortly afterwards. The group was made up of Rostilav Krotky (Czech Republic – Elmarco KK Cube), former stage winner Sigvard Kukk (Estonia – Kalev Chocolate), Morten Hegregerg, Gabriel Rasch (both Norway – Sparebanken Vest), Robert Partridge, Yanto Barker (both Wales – Stena Line), Stuart Gillespie, Nathan Mitchell (both US – TIAA CREF), Eugene Moriarty (Meath Cycleways.com) and Tim Barry (Tipperary Dan Morrissey). Former winner Chris Newton (GB – Recycling.co.uk) then jumped across by himself, making it eleven up front.

Several kilometres later, other chasers also bridged. These included Stephen Gallagher (Ireland Grant Thornton), Morten Christiansen (Norway – Sparebanken Vest), Evan Oliphant (Scotland), Alex Coutts (Wales Stena Line), Paul Manning, Robin Sharman (GB – Recycling.co.uk), Kevin Dawson (Yorkshire – Trinity Capital), Andrew Roche (Tipperary Worldwide Cycles), Andrew Randell (Canada – Jet Fuel Coffee), Denis Lynch (Cork – Kanturk), Jens Schwedler (Germany – Stevens Von Hacht), Malcolm Elliott (Yorkshire – Murphy and Gunn) and the day’s eventual stage winner Roger Aiken (Louth-Safe Cycling). However Gallagher and Partridge quickly lost contact, as did several others. The eighteen riders left up front then joined forces and eked out a good lead over the peloton.

Morten Hegreberg (Norway – Sparebanken Vest) was first to the top of the Tully Esker category 3 climb, taking the King of the Hills points there and, even more importantly, a three second time bonus. This would prove crucial by the end of the stage. Eugene Moriarty (Meath – Cycleways.com) was second, with Scotland’s Evan Oliphant third.

The break continued to ride well together, despite increasingly bad weather such as heavy rainfall and a particularly tough hailstone shower. After 64 kilometres the gap was 1 minute and 50 seconds, and this soon increased by a further half-minute. Three former race winners were in the move; Newton and Manning, for GB Recycling.co.uk, and Andrew Roche and, together with the other strong riders, they ensured that the break kept tapping through.

Inside the last hour of racing, the eighteen up front became sixteen. Nathan Mitchell (US – TIAA CREF) blew and was been dropped by the leaders, while Manning had the misfortune to hit the deck going through Castleblaney. The 2001 race winner was quickly back on his feet, but in considerable pain; he got back on the bike, but had a hard time with his injuries, limping home as part of the main group.

Former Tour of Spain points winner Elliott showed his speed when he took the third hot spot sprint in Anyalla, ahead of Hegreberg and Newton. Behind, the main field was being led by riders from Ireland, North East England and several other squads, but not making any inroads into the break’s lead. Frustrated by their lack of progress, Paidi O’Brien (Ireland Grant Thornton), John Tanner and Mark Lovatt (both Yorkshire – Trinity Capital) went clear, were joined by Paul Healion (Dublin Usher Insulations) but these were soon hauled back. O’Brien then had the misfortune to suffer a broken chain, eventually finishing just behind the main bunch.

Up front, the break were continuing to drive the pace, lined out on the right hand side of the road due to the sidewind and generally doing what they could to keep warm. The weather was getting progressively worse, making it harder to pedal, but those in the lead kept pushing all the way to the finish. With four kilometres to go Aiken, Hegreberg, Dawson and Newton clipped away and finished in that order, while Oliphant, Elliott, Christiansen and Kukk brought the rest home ten seconds later. The bunch finished a full 3 minutes and 7 seconds back, overall GC aspirations surely gone for all who missed the move.

Very much in the running, though, is Aiken. ‘I’m really happy, this has exceed all my expectations,’ said the frozen but content Northerner after the stage. ‘It would have been nice to get yellow as I am so close, but the stage win is great. I will try to keep going well and take a high placing overall.’

‘There was a large group of riders away after the start. A few of us got across and started riding through. It wasn’t too bad once you were up there, there was a nice tempo. The conditions were difficult, though; it was a bit dangerous, and at the end it was hard to keep the legs moving. It got very cold out there.’

This sentiment was echoed by Moriarty, who crossed the line in sixteenth place. ‘I was aiming for the stage win but my legs just went dead with the cold,’ he said. ‘It was tough out there.’

The Kerry rider finished second on the day’s KOH prime. However, with mountains leader Hegreberg now in yellow, he will wear the polka-dot jersey tomorrow. As for the other riders in the break, they are all close on time and will scrap it out in the coming days for their share of the spoils.

The FBD Insurance Rás continues tomorrow with a mainly flat 160 kilometre stage from Emyvale to Tubbercurry.

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FBD Insurance Rás, stage 1 Dublin – Emyvale:

1, Roger Aiken (Louth Safe Cycling) 136 kilometres in 2 hours 53 mins 19 secs

2, Morten Hegreberg (Norway – Sparebanken)

3, Kevin Dawson (Yorkshire – Trinity Capital)

4, Chris Newton (GB – Recycling.co.uk)  same time

5, Evan Oliphant (Scotland) at 10 secs

6, Malcolm Elliott (Yorkshire – Trinity Capital)

7, Morten Christiansen (Norway – Sparebanken)

8, Sigvard Kukk (Estonia – Kalev Chocolates)

9, Yanto Barker (Wales – Stena Line)

10, Robin Sharman (GB – Recycling.co.uk)

11, Rostislav Krotky (Czech Republic – Elmarco KK Cube)

12, Tim Barry (Tipperary Dan Morrissey)

13, Gabriel Rasche (Norway – Sparebanken Vest)

14, Andrew Roche (Tipperary Worldwide Cycles)

15, Stuart Gillespie (US – TIAA CREF) all same time

16, Eugene Moriarty (Meath Cycleways.com) at 13 secs

Hot spot 1, Balrothery:

1, Julian Winn (Wales Stena Line) 3 points/3 secs

2, Aidan Crowley (Meath Cycleways.com) 2 pts/2 secs

3, Mick Hennessy (Cork Nucleus) 1 pt/1 sec

Hot spot 2, Tully Esker:

1, Morten Hegreberg (Norway – Sparebanken Vest) 3 pts/3 secs

2, Eugene Moriarty (Meath – Cycleways.com) 2 pts/2 secs

3, Evan Oliphant (Scotland) 1 pt/1 sec

Hot spot 3, Anyalla

1, Malcolm Elliott (Yorkshire – Trinity Capital) 3 pts/3 secs

2, Morten Hegreberg (Norway – Sparebanken Vest) 2 pts/2 secs

3, Chris Newton (GB – Recycling.co.uk) 1 pt/1 sec

King of the Hills, Tully Esker (category 3):

1, Morten Hegreberg (Norway – Sparebanken Vest) 5 pts

2, Eugene Moriarty (Meath – Cycleways.com) 4 pts

3, Evan Oliphant (Scotland) 3 pts

4, Michael Hennessy (Cork Nucleus) 2 pts

General classification (George Plant trophy)

1, Morten Hegreberg (Norway – Sparebanken) 2 hours 53 mins 8 secs

2, Aiken, at 1 sec

3, Dawson, at 7 secs

4, Newton, at 10 secs

5, Elliott, at 18 secs

6, Oliphant, at 20 secs

7, Christiansen, at 21 secs

8, Kukk

9, Barker

10, Sharman

11, Krotky

12, Barry

13, Rasch

14, Roche

15, Gillespie, all same time

16, Moriarty, at 22 secs

Points:

1, Aiken, 15

2, Hegreberg, 14

3, Dawson, 13

4, Newton, 12

5, Oliphant, 11

6, Elliott, 10

Mountains (Brendan Carroll trophy):

1, Hegreberg, 5

2, Eugene Moriarty (Meath – Cycleways) 4

3, Oliphant, 3

4, Hennessy, 2

Sprints:

1, Hegreberg, 5

2, Julian Winn (Wales Stena Line) 3

3, Elliott, 3

Under 23 (Ben McKenna trophy):

1, Stuart Gillespie (US TIAA CREF) 2 hours 53 mins 29 secs

2, Mark Pozniak (Canada – Jet Fuel Coffee) at 2 mins 57 secs

3, Andrei Mustonen (Estonia – Kalev Chocolate)

4, Alex Coutts (Scotland)

5, Ben Greenwood (GB – Recycling.co.uk) all same time

County rider overall:

1, Roger Aiken, 2 hours 53 mins 9 secs

2, Tim Barry, at 20 secs

3, Andrew Roche, same time

4, Eugene Moriarty, at 21 secs

5, Aidan Crowley (Meath Cycleways.com) at 3 mins 15 secs

Cycling Ireland second category rider:

1, Barry Meehan (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) 2 hours 56 mins 26 secs

2, Ciaran Farrell (Dublin Wheelers – All Systems)

3, Stephen Enright (Dublin Usher Insulations)

4, Cormac O’Shea (Kildare Ena Loakman Remax)

5, Anthony O’Brien (Cork Nucleus) all same time

International team overall :

1, Norway – Sparebanken, 8 hours 40 mins 17 secs

2, Yorkshire – Trinity Capital, at 2 min 57 secs

3, GB – Recycling.co.uk, same time

4, Scotland, at 6 mins 4 secs

5, Czech Republic – Elmarco KK Cube, same time

County team overall:

1, Louth Safe Cycling, 8 hours 46 mins 11 secs

2, Tipperary Worldwide Cycles, at 10 secs

3, Tipperary Dan Morrissey, same

4, Meath Cycleways.com, at 13 secs

5, Meath M. Donnelly, at 3 mins 7 secs