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Last Updated: Mar 24th, 2008 - 09:29:49 |
RAS MUMHAN: POWER WINS AGAIN
By Tommy Campbell
Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent
Mar 24, 2008,
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© Tommy Campbell
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Yet again the dominance of Ciaran Power of the Pezula Racing Team on the stage three of the Pauline Sugrue Ras Mumhan was very much to the fore when the pressure was on. He came through to win the stage in Waterville ahead of Mark Cassidy of An Post with Paul Griffin of Team Giant Asia after a tough 65 miles which included a fair amount of climbing in the South Kerry Region.
Thankfully the explosive start we had on Saturday did not happen. But that did not deter a group of four moving ahead shortly after the start in the town at the monument of Charlie Chaplin who was a regular visitor to the town. Not the first time in Ras Mumhan had Mark Cassidy of An Post not taken up the challenge of leading from the front. Yesterday he showed his steeliness again when he forged ahead with his team mate Denis Dunworth, Martin O'Loughlin of Dan Morrissey, and Denis Lynch of Kanturk Town.
The Pezula team were content to ride tempo up front with the MyHome.ie/Cycleways/BDBC, EuroBabyEuroCycles team to keep the escapees in sight on the long drag up to the first KOH at Coom a Ciste.
On the descent the speed moved up a gear for the bunch but the quartet were equally up to the task of keeping their lead hovering on the minute mark. Also the speed resulted in a number of riders losing their place in the bunch but at the WaveCrest Caravan Park they made it back to the safety of the peloton who had taken their foot off the pedal.
Still, the Pezula boys were marshalling the race and shortly after Caherdaniel, David Brennan of the Castlebar somersaulted into the air and hit the deck. Thankfully the race doctor and Ambulance were on hand to attend to his needs. He made contact with the main bunch on the approach to the Bealalaw Bridge.
Also there was no change at the head of the race, but with Bealach Oisin looming large on the horizon, the race leader was positioning himself for a forward move. At the bottom of Oisin there was a radical change to the front of the race with Paul Griffin of Team Giant Asia, Iaasc Speirs of An Post, Ciaran Power and Mark Cassidy gaining a significant advantage on the chasing groups who were in small pockets after the climb.
After the climb several groups had formed on the road, but the evidence was there in bucketfuls that the quartet who stole a march on the stage were in the control room. Still, the drama was not over when Iaasc Speirs's forks snapped with seven miles to go leaving him stranded because it necessitated a bike change. The roads were so narrow after the climb that it meant that the team vehicles were well behind.
With four miles to there was drama for the race leader who punctured, but a quick change and within 45 seconds he had the made the junction to the Mark and Paul.
On the run in to Waterville, the stop go tactics were very much in evidence with Paul making an all out attack to land the spoils only to be reeled in.
Going into the final right hander and hugging the kerb in the final 250 meters, Ciaran had taken the initiative to land the prize with Mark in second place.
Today, it looks a formality for Power to clinch overall victory.
Despite finishing third on the stage, Paul Griffin made into the top three in the overall standings.
Waterville-Waterville-65 miles-Stage Three
Details:
1 C. Power (Pezula Racing Team), 2hrs.36mins.05secs;
2 M. Cassidy (An Post), same time;
3 P. Griffin (Team Giant Asia ), @3secs;
4 T. Haakman ( Holland ), @1.57;
5 M. O’Brien ( Kanturk Town ), st;
6 M. Concannon (Killorglin Credit Union CC), st.
Overall after three stages
1 C. Power, 7.33.31;
2 T. Haakman, @2.15;
3 P. Griffin , @2.25;
4 P. O’Brien, @2.38;
5 M. Concannon, @3.03;
6 S. Lacey (EuroBabyEuroCycles), @3.38.
Points: C Power.
Mountains: M Cassidy.
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2008 Tommy Campbell,
IrishCycling.com.
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