11.03: Good morning and welcome to the start of stage seven of the FBD Insurance Rás. It’s 14 degrees and quite a cloudy day, although the sun is poking through in some places.
130 riders have lined out, with Benjamin Justesen (Demark Vision Bikes) the only non-starter.
11.06: Martyn Irvine (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh), Markku Ainsalu (Estonia Kalev Chocolate) and Sean Lacey (Dublin Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) have a slight lead. They have been joined by Mark Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) but the peloton reacts quickly and closes it down.
11.08: We spoke to Philip Cassidy today. His son Mark was third yesterday. He said that the Germany Thuringer Energie team of race leader Tony Martin did very little work yesterday, with the Dutch team inexplicably chasing hard.
That’s somewhat unexpected, given that they had a rider in the break. Hmmm…
11.09: Andrei Mustonen (Estonia Kalev Chocolate) is 100 metres clear. But he’s been reeled in.
11.16: It is all together. David McCann (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh) had a problem with his bike but is back in the bunch now.
11.19: We’ve had some technical complications which may be related to the fact that we are in the north and therefore not using the regular network providers to transmit this data. Bear with us.
11.26: Peter Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers NSWIS) is clear, alone.
11.28: It’s all back together.
11.31: Still seems together.
There has been a big crash in the bunch. We have no more news as yet as to who was involved.
11.36: There are two climbs on today’s stage - Glenshane Pass (category 3, 39.2 km) and Devils Elbow (category 3 KOM, 155.1 km). The latter is 9.9 km from the finish line in Newcastle.
11.38: Riders are rejoining after the crash, including Mart Ojavee (Estonia Kalev Chocolate) and Brian Ahern (Dublin Dundrum Town Centre).
All of the riders are back up and racing, with the exception of Josh Thornton (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada). He is sitting in the ambulance. He’s fortunately been described as, ‘okay, but a bit shaken’ by the race doctor Phil Brady, so it seems there are no serious injuries. That’s good.
11.49: Everything is still together.
The riders are starting the first KOM, Glenshane Pass.
12.00: Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) beat mountains leader Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) in the first KOM prime:
Glenshane Pass, category 3 (39.2 km)
1, Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) 5 pts
2, Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) 4
3, Jason Hegert (Australia FRF Couriers) 3
4, Ondrej Pavek (Czech Republic Sparta Praha) 2
This means that the current total is:
1, Ricardo Van der Velde, 80 points
2, Anthony, 45
There is one more category 3 climb today, and then tomorrow’s final stage features six cat 3 climbs. In total there’s 35 points up for grabs. Van der Velde is currently 35 ahead of Anthony so he can sew this up today. If he finishes in the first four in the next climb – or even if he doesn’t, but Anthony doesn’t win it – then he takes the pink jersey.
12.04: The riders covered 45.5 km in the first hour. That’s brisk!
12.12: It’s still all together.
12.19: Isaac Speirs (Dublin Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) had a strong ride yesterday, placing seventh and taking first the Cuchulainn Crystal award for best county rider. He’s only 18 and doing his first Rás, so that’s a very encouraging performance.
Congratulations to Kieran Leahy, who smashed the Irish 200m velodrome record in Moscow this morning. He recorded 10.597 seconds, averaging 67.94kph. The previous mark was 11.205.
Leahy also took the flying start 500m record yesterday, going considerably quicker than the 29.55m record previously held by Peter Dunne. He covered the distance in 28.47 seconds, over a second faster. Good going! We will have more on this later.
12.24: The stage has been very controlled thus far, with no major moves going clear. The riders are passing through Moneymore (63.4 km).
12.27: Mark Walters (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) has a sight gap.
12.29: The field is back together.
12.37: We’d love to be bringing you news of breaks and attacks and the like, but so far things have been kept under control.
12.39: Ah, right on time. Yvo Kusters (Netherlands) and Stephen Gallagher (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) have attacked and are nine seconds clear.
12.42: They are still clear, but by just 50 metres.
12.44: They have been joined by Jesse Anthony (US Koday Gallery Sierra Nevada), the former race leader…
They are now seven seconds clear.
12.45: It is all back together once more.
12.54: There is a split in the peloton, with 18 riders 100 metres ahead of the rest.
They are 11 seconds clear; this could be interesting.
12.55: There has been a reaction and the gap is down to seven seconds.
12.57: It is all together.
13.04: David McCann (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh) and Stephen Gallagher (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) are clear.
13.05: They are nine seconds ahead of the bunch.
91 kilometres have been covered in the first two hours of racing.
Gallagher started the day 8th overall, 1 minutes and 15 seconds off the yellow jersey of Tony Martin. McCann was two places and 20 seconds further back.
13.07: Alo Jakin (Estonia Kalev Chocolate), Nico Graf (Germany Thuringer Energie) and Roger Aiken (Armagh Big Picture Developments) are chasing.
The peloton is 25 seconds back. This could be interesting…
13.09: McCann waited for the three chasers and these have joined up. Gallagher is slightly ahead.
The five will combine and work hard to build their lead.
13.10: There is a five man leading group now. They are 17 seconds clear.
13.11: The gap has closed down somewhat.
13.12: The field is all together once more.
13.16: Tom Diggle (Britain Stena Line Recycling.co.uk) has crashed. He hit a civilian car. We believe he is okay, but is in the race ambulance receiving treatment.
13.18: The bunch is all together at the moment.
13.23: Six riders are clear. They are Ondrej Pavek (Czech Republic Sparta Praha), Marcel Barth (Germany Thuringer Energie), Mark Lovatt (Team Sportscover), Roger Aiken (Armagh Big Picture Developments) and Conor Murphy (Dublin Usher Insulations).
They have 17 seconds.
13.25: The gap is still 17 seconds.
13.28: The gap is 14 seconds.
13.30: Dermot Nally (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh), Alain Van der Velde (Netherlands), Andrei Mustonen (Estonia Kalev Chocolate), Ryan Roth (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) and Derek Burke (Dublin Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) are clear of the bunch and chasing hard.
13.32: The bunch has split and some of those riders have got across. There is now a large front group.
Fifteen riders are there, with approximately 20 riders 50 metres behind them and the main field 100 metres back. The pressure is on.
13.35: It is all back together now.
13.40: Mark Walters (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) and Roger Aiken (Armagh Big Picture Developments) are clear.
Aiken is certainly attacking a lot today. He’s fired up to do something.
13.41: It’s back together.
13.42: Mads Bugge (Denmark Vision Bikes) is slightly clear.
13.45: He has a six second gap, with one unidentified chaser.
13.49: It’s back together once more. There have been several attacks but nothing has stuck.
13.55: There are approximately 35 kilometres left in the stage.
13.59: Aiken is at it again; he has ten seconds. He’s riding really well today.
14.03: Two riders tried to chase but were caught. He has 21 seconds.
We went through Banbridge a few kilometres ago. He’s from this area and will draw motivation from that.
14.07: Dermot Nally (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh) has gone clear in pursuit.
He is 14 seconds back, while the main bunch is 23 seconds behind.
It’s been raining for about 15 minutes.
14.09: Nally is riding hard to try to close up. He is ten seconds back while the peloton is at 15 seconds.
14.11: Dennis Kreder (Netherlands) has joined Nally. They are 18 seconds behind Aiken, with the peloton quite close to them.
Aiken has passed the 25 kilometre to go banner.
The two chasers are at seven seconds with the main field at 15 seconds.
14.14: Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC) has attacked and is going after the others. Aiken has been joined by Nally and Kreder, making it three up front.
14.18: They are 13 seconds ahead.
Alo Jakin (Estonia Kalev Chocolate) has attacked but he is caught.
14.21: The gap is now nine seconds.
14.22: Mark Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) and Chris Newton (Britain Recycling.co.uk) have attacked and got across to the four leaders.
14.24: It’s all back together. Could today end with a bunch gallop?
14.28: The riders are racing towards the Devils Elbow, which tops out at 9.9 km from the top.
David McCann, Glenn Bak (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) and Ben Raby (US Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) have attacked. However they are unable to stay clear.
14.33: Ricardo Van der Velde has attacked in search of the KOM points. He can win the competition on this climb. Anthony is one of those who goes after him.
It is back together again. Not sure who got the KOM points. We are relying on race radio as we have had to go on to the finish.
René Birkenfeld (Germany Stevens Von Hacht) attacks with 5 km to go. He is brought back by the Estonia Kalev Chocolate team, who are doing all the riding now.
14.38: It’s all together with four kilometres to go.
14.40: 2 km to go...all one big bunch...
14.43: Big bunch gallop...Rollin was up there, I think he's taken another stage...
14.48: It was indeed him... A great sprint for his third victory of the week.
Mart Ovajee (Estonia Kalev Chocolate) was second with Ondrej Pavek (Czech Republic Sparta Praha) third. These are provisional results but we believe that is correct.
No change in the yellow jersey, of course. Rollin strengthens his grip on the green jersey and Van der Velde should have sewn up the mountains classification.
14.53: Aidan Crowley (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC) was the best county rider.
So that's all for now.. We will leave it there as the podium presentations are taking place. Come back later for reports and results. Thanks for reading!
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Here Live Reports were last updated:Aug 26th, 2008 - 13:50:32
