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Last Updated: Mar 23rd, 2008 - 08:15:06 |
RAS MUMHAN: POWER GOES OFF COURSE BUT MAINTAINS LEAD
By Tommy Campbell
Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent
Mar 23, 2008,
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© Tommy Campbell
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Ciaran Power of the Pezula Racing Team based out of Galway retained his race lead of the Pauline Sugure Ras Mumhan after stage two yesterday despite going off course. Added to Ciaran's problems, the team still gained a stage win when his team colleague, Cameron Jennings from Australia won the stage into Cahirsiveen where three hours plus previously 87 competitors had set out on a demanding 83 miles which included a jaunt around Valentia Island where the great Kerry footballer Mick O'Connell lives.
As on day one, the start was fast and furious with no less than fourteen competitors losing contact with the main group in the opening miles. This pattern continued throughout the remainder of the day continuing right up to the finish line in Cahirsiveen at the 'Great Gas Filling Station' a truly appropriate name. Needless to say their was a fair amount of refueling in the station and it was not petrol.
And who caused the mayhem at the start? None other than Ciaran Power and Mark Cassidy of An Post and Sean Lacey of EuroCycles/EuroBaby who like on day one were the instigators of stretching the field for the second day in a row.
At the first 'Hot Spot' of the day a most illustrious character of cycling from the '50's, none other than the great Mick Murphy was at the prime spot to cheer on the competitors. It was a sign for the day when Ciaran took the prime with Mark second and further up the road at the first KOH it was a reverse for the one two.
But six miles into the stage the pattern was beginning to unfold with Mark and Ciaran pulling ahead of the others. As the race rode on to Valentia Island the duo up ahead were maintaining a lead of approximately two minutes, but the pressure to chase them down was unfolding with the main bunch splitting into three significant groups, and this with only 30 miles of racing completed. Naturally, Pezula and the An Post crews were happy to take a back seat in the proceedings because of their loyalty to their team leaders.
The messages coming back from the head of the race via race radio that Mark Cassidy was starting to feel the pinch of his foray at the top of the race. Strangely Ciaran was not for ditching his companion who for nearly 50 miles had played a pivotal role in establishing the lead.
On the approach to Finians Bay Mark's push for glory started ebbing away which dictated that a solo effort by Ciaran was now the only option left open to him. With just a lone leader up ahead, An Post geared themselves up for a chase along with MyHome.ie/Cycleways/BDCB to make inroads into the lead. For the next ten miles, Pezula's leader kept up the momentum and was holding the chase pack on the 1.50minute marker despite the best their best efforts.
And at New Chapel sixty three miles clocked up for Ciaran, the stage took a turn for the worse as far as he was concerned. Instead of taking a left turn , he inadvertently went off course. Through the quick thinking of Commissarie Two, Roddy Keane he was advised of his mistake and turned back after traveling down the road for approximately 4 to 500 yards.
Just as he corrected his passage the chasers loomed up on the horizon and within a mile his effort for the last 50 odd miles had vanished. Now he had the company of 16 competitors who must have thought that all their birthdays had come together when he they made contact.
From thereon to the finish it became a process of elimination. Those 20 odd mils to the finish were peppered with attacks and counter attacks with only 10 making it to the line with seconds of an advantage on each other. For the remaining seven it was proof that between them they had lost between four and six minutes.
Cycling does regularly throw up scenarios which the commissaries have to adjudicate on. As we sign off the Pezula Racing Team have lodged an objection on the grounds that their cyclist was directed off course and are requesting that his lead time be restored to the benefit of him!
Stage 2 Result
1. Cameron Jennings Pezula Racing 3.17'49" 5"
2. Ciaran Power Pezula Racing 3.17'49" 3"
3. Maurice O'Brien Kanturk Town CC 3.17'49" 2"
4. Paul Griffin Giant Asia 3.17'49"
5. Tino Haakman Forte Junie Translations 3.17'49"
6. Sean Lacey Eurocycles 3.17'53" 4"
Overall GC
1. Ciaran Power Pezula Racing 4.56'31"
2. Tino Haakman Forte Junie Translations 4.56'50" 19"
3. Sean Lacey Eurocycles 4.56'56" 25"
4. Maurice O'Brien Kanturk Town CC 4.57'31" 1'00"
5. Miceal Concannon Killorglin CU CC 4.57'38" 1'07"
6. Cameron Jennings Pezula Racing 4.58'24" 1'53"
7. Brian Kennelly Myhome.ie/BDBS a 4.58'29" 1'58"
8. Paul Griffin Giant Asia 4.58'56" 2'25"
9. Chris McNamara Surrey League 4.59'00" 2'29"
10. Gary Dodd Surrey League 5.01'30" 4'59"
Team General classification
1. Pezula Racing 14.56'42"
2. Myhome.ie/BDBS a 15.11'30" 14'48"
3. Surrey League 15.12'03" 15'21"
4. Kanturk Town CC 15.12'06" 15'24"
5. Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers A 15.24'16" 27'34"
6. Eurocycles 15.27'49" 31'07"
7. Kilcullen CC 15.34'30" 37'48"
8. An Post Irish Development Team 15.40'56" 44'14"
9. Team Earl of Desmond 15.44'45" 48'03"
10. Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers B 15.46'16" 49'34"
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2008 Tommy Campbell,
IrishCycling.com.
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