11.00: Good morning and welcome to the shortest stage of this year’s FBD Insurance Rás, a 96 kilometre race from Buncrana to Derry. This stage is flat and likely to be very fast.
The biggest talk this morning was the unfortunate news that some of the Ireland team bikes were stolen from the van last night. The riders have managed to get replacements from other teams. We believe Paul Griffin’s bike was not touched. It seemingly was in at the back of the van and covered, so the scumbags/thieves did not see it.
11.03: Brian Taafe (Meath M. Donnelly Cycleways) got things underway when he attacked after the drop of the flag.
11.04: It’s all together.
11.06: Six riders have 100 metres.
Paídi O’Brien (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M.Donnelly Sean Kelly), Jason Hegert, Brendan Brooks (Australia FRF Couriers), Marcel Barth (Germany Thuringer Energie), Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) and Eugene Moriarty (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC)
11.08: The peloton reacted and closed this down.
11.15: It is still all together.
The weather is sunny but cold; it is just 11 degrees. Brrrrrrrr.
11.22: Matthew Ward (Dublin Usher Insulations) and Brian Ahern (Dublin Dundrum Town Centre Orwell Wheelers) have attacked.
Senior 2 category leader Ahern has dropped Ward and continues alone.
11.25: Today’s stage finishes in the north, quite a rare occurrence.
Florian Frohn (Germany Thuringer Energie) and Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC) join Ahern, a couple of seconds before everything comes back together.
The riders have covered approximately 22 kilometres. Next up is Carndonagh, then Malin, Culdaff, Gleneely, Moville, Muff and Derry. Once in Derry the riders will do a 10.5 kilometre finishing loop. Team cars and media cannot travel on this loop, so we will peel off and rely on the radio for information.
11.31: Neil Delahaye (Dublin Usher Insulations) has ten seconds on the main field.
11.32: He has 12 seconds.
11.34: We have passed through Carndonagh (26 km).
11.36: The field is all together.
11.39: Nine riders go clear:
Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands), Stephen Gallagher (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly), Peter McDonald (Australia FRF Couriers NSWIS), Ondrej Pavek (Czech Republic Sparta Praha), Michael Johansen (Denmark Vision Bikes), Marcel Barth (Germany Thuringer Energie), Marcel Barth (Germany Thuringer Energie), Dominique Rollin (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada), Mark Lovatt (Team Sportscover) and Isaac Speirs (Dublin Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group)
11.43: They have 31 seconds.
11.45: There are three chasers – Thomas Bendixen (Denmark Vision Bikes), Dominique Perras (USA Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Nathan Jones (Kildare Newbridge Remax).
They have been joined by Mark Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) and Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC)
11.49: The chasers are 31 seconds back with the peloton 45 seconds in arrears.
11.52: The chasers are at 25 seconds and the peloton remains 45 seconds back.
11.55: The five chasers are now 17 seconds back and closing. The main bunch is 43 seconds back.
11.59: There is now just ten seconds between the two front groups. Looks like the junction will be made.
12.02: They have succeeded; there are 14 leaders now. The peloton is a minute back.
12.04: David McCann (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh) is calling for a new bike.
There are two chasers between the break and the bunch, 46 seconds back. They are Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers NSWIS) and Conor Murphy (Dublin Usher Insulations).
12.06: The peloton is now 1’16 back.
12.11: A group tried to get clear of the main bunch but has been brought back.
The bunch is 1’40 back. This move is dangerous all right..
12.13: With 55 kilometres covered, the chasers are now 47 seconds back. It’s going to be very hard for them to bridge. The peloton is 1’50 in arrears.
12.18: Herzig and Murphy are still in No Man’s Land – they are 46 seconds adrift. The main field is 1’45 back.
12.21: Providing the information from race radio is correct as regards rider identification, Peter McDonald (Australia FRF Couriers NSWIS) is the race leader on the road. He started the day fourth overall, 40 seconds behind Tony Martin (Germany Thuringer Energie).
12.26: The chasers are 44 seconds back. Still in limbo. The bunch is being led by the Netherlands team.
12.30: We are passing close to the sea, as we head towards the town of Muff. No sniggering at the back, guys…
12.31: The chasers are at 57 seconds while the main field is closing somewhat; 1 minute 25.
12.34: The chasers have sat up. The peloton is 1’31 back with 25 kilometres to go.
12.38: Dublin Usher Insulations duo Neil Delahaye and Matthew Ward have attacked from the main bunch.
12.40: A number of teams including the Netherlands, Germany Thuringer Energie and Britain Stena Line Recycling.co.uk have come to the front of the peloton and will try to close this down.
We are in the north.
12.45: The main field is stretched out into one long line. The gap is 1 minute 21 seconds.
The PSNI motorbike police have taken over marshalling now.
12.53: There is a lot of logistical stuff going on as most of the race cars are being pulled out due to not being able to go onto the finishing circuit. Bear with us…
The break is still clear, with the peloton chasing hard…
13.00: The time gap is 50 seconds..it's possible...
13.09: They are inside the last 3 km..the gap is coming down but they could stay clear... the final 500 metres is a very steep climb..
The gap is 20 seconds with 1 km to go..
Rollin attacked with 500 metres remaining... He is still clear...
13.11: He does it! Another stage win for him! He finished just ahead of Marcel Barth (Germany Thuringer Energie) with Mark Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) taking a fine third ahead of the KOM leader Ricardo Van der Velde…
Rollin defended his green points jersey in the best way possible, by winning…great ride…
The bunch came in shortly after the break. They were in dribs and drabs, with David McCann and Dermot Nally (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh) finishing towards the back. So too did Paídi O’Brien…it will be interesting to see if gaps are given. There is certainly a chance they could lose time here…
13.17: We will have a better idea of things a little later on. But the cracks in tne bunch could result in time gaps. We will see.
Stephen Gallagher was fifth on the stage.
13.20: Okay, there was a crash in the final kilometre. That's how they lost time, so it will not affect the general classification.
The presentation and judging is taking place a short distance from the finish line so bear with us...we will be back shortly with an update as to the jersey situation...
The judges are still working out the various placings as regards the overall. It is slower than usual as the podium is away from the finish line and, of course, because that crash near the end complicates things as regards working out time gaps, etc. Bear with us.
We think that Isaac Speirs (Dublin Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) was first county rider. He got into that break early on.
13.41: Yes, that has been confirmed. A very good ride for the first year senior.
Points leader Rollin is confirmed as the stage winner, with Barthe and Cassidy second and third.
The judges are still pondering, but it appears that Tony Martin stays in yellow. Peter McDonald moves up in the gc – it remains to be seen if he will overtake Paídi O’Brien or not.
13.58:
Ok, here is the new (provisional!!) GC:
1, Tony Martin (Germany Thuringer Energie) 19 hours 49 mins 58 secs
2, Paidi O'Brien (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 17 secs
3, Peter McDonald (Australia FRF Couriers NSWIS) at 24 secs
4, Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) at 36 secs
5, Dominique Rollin (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) at 40 secs
6, Mark Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 44 secs
Newton is next, while Gallagher, Kenneally and McCann are listed as 8th, 9th and 10th.
That's all for today! Come back later for full results, report etc. Thanks for reading....
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Here Live Reports were last updated:Aug 26th, 2008 - 13:50:32
