NEWBRIDGE, Milltown, Allen, Kilmeague, Prosperous, Kilcock, Warrenstowm, Drumree, Dunshaughlin, Rathoath, Curragha, Pluckhimin Category 3 KOM, Garristown, Naul, Balrothery, Cross of the Cage Category 3 KOM, Skerries, Black Hills Category 3 KOM, Skerries, Black Hills Category 3 KOM, SKERRIES.
It’s the final day of the race, but the complexities of stage eight provides opportunity for a change in the yellow jersey. Running 130 kilometres from Newbridge to Skerries, the early kilometres head through Prosperous, Kilcock (30.4km), Dunshaughlin, Rathoath and on to the category three climb of Pluckhimin (75.1km). After Naul and Balrothery the riders will hit the category three Cross of the Cage climb (94.4), racing onto the Skerries finishing circuit almost immediately after the top.
If the past two years are anything to go by, massive crowds will line the streets in the seafront town, generating plenty of atmosphere and encouragement. The riders will whip past them and begin the first of two 13.8 kilometre laps, fighting it out on the category three Black Hills each time. The last ascent of the climb is nine kilometres from the finish and from there to the line the speed will be manic. Much is at stake, and every second may well count.
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12.38: The riders have set off on the final stage of the 2008 FBD Insurance Rás, leaving Newbridge in bright sunshine. It’s been a great week as regards the weather, with very little rain.
12.39: Straight away, four riders go clear: Kristin House (Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk), David O’Loughlin (Ireland Pezula Racing), Andrew Roche (Isle of Man Microgaming Dolan) and Peter Hawkins (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations)
12.41: The group has been brought back.
We are heading along rolling terrain, travelling into a headwind.
1255: A group has moved clear….if it stays away, we’ll get the names.
Levi Heimans (Netherlands), Jaroslaw Dabrowski, Mateusz Komar (Poland national team), Abbas Saeidi Tanha (Iran Islamic Azad University), Kristian House (Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk), Simon Richardson (Britain Plowman Craven), Ciarán Power (Ireland Pezula Racing), Derek Burke (Ireland Pezula Racing), Daire O’Sullivan (Dublin Eurocycles) and Nathan Jones are those up front. Tanha and Jones were last across.
13.04: Abbas Saeidi Tanha (Iran Islamic Azad University) and Nathan Jones (Kildare Newbridge) are chasing and have joined up.
Daniel Lloyd (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) had saddle problems but has had the problem sorted out now.
13.10: Ireland Pezula Racing team-mates David O’Loughlin and Cameron Jennings are slightly clear. They have been joined by Evan Oliphant (Britain Plowman Craven). Blazej Janiackzyk (Poland) also bridges across alone.
13.14: They have a lead of 18 seconds.
13.18: That’s gone up to 22..
13.25: In Kilcock (30.4km) the break is one minute and nine seconds ahead of the field.
13.35: The four leaders are working well together and have eked out a lead of two minutes and five seconds after 36 kilometres of racing. There’s 94 clicks to go.
13.55: Fifty-two kilometres after the start, the leaders are three minutes and 32 seconds clear. They are fighting into a cross- to headwind but are faring well thus far.
13.57: The break has just gone through Warrenstown.
14.12: Oliphane is the best-placed rider of this break. He started the day 42nd overall, 23 minutes and 41 seconds back. Jennings (47th at 24 minutes 52 seconds), O’Loughlin (62nd at 29 minutes 47 seconds) and Blazej Janiaczyk (63rd at 30 minutes 33 seconds) are also not a threat to the yellow jersey of Stephen Gallagher.
14.18: The gap is 4 minutes and 45 seconds. The An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team has been riding behind, along with the Norway Sparebanken Vest squad.
14.29: Although combines are common in cycling when a jersey has to be defended, it’s by no means certain this is what has happened. Indeed, the Norwegians have a strong sprinter in Morten Hegreberg, who has both won two stages and taken the points jersey in the past. He was also twice third overall in the race, although this time his campaign is a little more quiet. He started today 20th overall, seven minutes and 35 seconds back.
Thanks to Stephen McMahon for pointing out a brain slip; a few minutes ago we referred to the yellow jersey of Roger Aiken. Fear not, An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton fans – nothing has happened to Stephen Gallagher, he’s still in the main bunch and in yellow.
Stephen has not only been working as one of the race volunteers, he’s also found the time to take more superb photos for Irishcycling.com. We thank him for his contribution this week.
14.30: The last time check puts the leading quartet 5 minutes and 20 seconds clear.
14.34: The break has just gone over the top of the first of four climbs, that of Pluckhimin (category 3, 75.1 kilometres after the start). The gap is five minutes there, and the result was:
14.44: Stevens Aubert and Jean Marc Maurin (France Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur) are both clear. They are four minutes 34 seconds behind the break, with the peloton eight seconds behind them.
14.49: The chasing duo have been caught, so once again we have four leaders and then the main bunch over four minutes back.
14.55: With 88 kilometres covered – and therefore 42 remaining – the break is three minutes 53 seconds back. They can still be caught; much will depend on how the bunch rides in the next ten to fifteen kilometres.
It’s still Norway Sparebanken Vest and An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly leading the peloton.
15.02: Latest time check: three minutes 42 seconds.
15.05: O’Loughlin seems to enjoy these long-distance moves. He won a FBD Insurance Rás stage in this fashion four years ago, was clear on the final stage of last year’s Tour of Ireland (finishing third then) and landed this year’s Shay Elliott Memorial in this way.
If the group does stay away and he can take the victory, it would make up for the disappointment of day five when he punctured inside the final three kilometres of the stage. Simon Richardson went on to take the win, then scooped the yellow jersey one day later.
15.08: The break crossed the next climb several minutes ago. Here’s the result:
15.12: The gap is three minutes 36 seconds, so it’s looking a bit more likely that they can stay away. We are nearly in Skerries, where the riders will begin two laps of the finishing circuit.
15.19: The break has just crossed the finish line for the first time; they have two laps of the 13.8 kilometre finishing circuit to do. Each will include an ascent of the category three Black Hills.
There is a huge crowd once again in Skerries….really, really impressive.
15.22: The peloton crosses the finish line three minutes 24 seconds back, so the break is looking good at this point.
15.23: The leaders have started the climb.
15.27: The gap is three minutes back to the bunch.
On the prime line, the gap is two minutes 50 seconds. The Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk team now comes to the front. They’d like to get another stage win.
15.32: Riders from the Stena, Iran and Ireland teams are on the front of the bunch.
15.33: The gap is two minutes 37 seconds. Meanwhile, Jennings has thrown down the gauntlet by attacking. He’s caught, then his team-mate O’Loughlin goes. He has a 30 metre gap on Oliphant, with the other two behind.
Oliphant has made it across to him…
15.36: He and O’Loughlin are pulling away from the other two.
15.37: O’Loughlin tried to get clear of Oliphant, but the move was covered. The bunch is now sitting back, so it’s now certain that one of these will win the stage.
There’s twelve seconds between the leaders now.
15.39: Janiaczyk and Jennings have eased back, looking stuffed. O’Loughlin and Oliphant have 25 seconds… The stage is between them.
15.41: It’s 35 seconds…
15.42: We have stopped at the finish line, and will stay here for the final lap. The bunch has just gone through, three minutes and 13 seconds down. Race leader Stephen Gallagher is sitting about ten riders back, and – barring misfortune – will win this FBD Insurance Rás.
15.43: If it comes to the sprint, former national team director Alistair McLennon thinks Oliphant will take it. “He’ll be faster in a sprint,” he predicts.
Of course, both are Scottish so he’ll be pleased if that happens..
15.45: The Norwegian team continue to ride on the front of the Gallagher group.
15.47: O’Loughlin and Oliphant have crossed the top of the climb. They have just nine kilometres left. O’Loughlin attacked at the top but could not get clear.
The Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk riders lead the peloton now. Meanwhile, the two chasers are 51 seconds back at the prime line.
15.48: The results of the final climb in this year’s FBD Insurance Rás:
15.56: The two leaders are still together… They have less than three kilometres to go..
They are both sharing the pace-setting. There is a headwind up the finishing straight so that might play a part in any gallop...
The bunch has slowed, so Gallagher is safe. He has less than three kilometres to go before he wins the 2008 FBD Insurance Ras....
16.00: Here we go...
It was very tight at the end...O'Loughlin led it out into the wind and we think that he may have shaded it, just holding off Oliphant.
Blazej Janiaczyk beat Jennings for third, with points leader Dean Downing leading the bunch in...
Gallagher wins the race...a great victory for him and his team...
16.06: Confirmation: O'Loughlin did indeed get it, winning by a narrow margin. The stage result is as follows:
FBD Insurance Rás stage eight, Newbridge to Skerries:
1, David O’Loughlin (Ireland Pezula Racing) 3 hours 22 mins 13 secs
2, Evan Oliphant (Britain Plowman Craven) same time
3, Blazej Janiaczyk (Poland national team) at 37 secs
4, Cameron Jennings (Ireland Pezula Racing) same time
5, Ciaran Power (Ireland Pezula Racing) at 1 min 16 secs
6, Dean Downing (Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk) same time
And, we expect, the general classification will be something like this:
General classification after eight stages:
1, Stephen Gallagher (Ireland An Post. M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
2, Roger Aiken (Ireland national team) at 1 min 42 secs
3, Rob Partridge (Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk) at 1 min 43 secs
4, Alex Higham (Britain Plowman Craven) at 1 min 45 secs
5, S. M. Razaei Khormizi (Iran Islamic Ahad University) at 1 min 55 secs
6, Wojciech Dybel (Poland national team) at 2 mins 30 secs
7, Dean Downing (Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk) at 2 mins 40 secs
8, Kieran Page (Ireland Pezula Racing) at 2 mins 47 secs
9, Benny de Schrooder (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) at 3 mins 1 sec
10, Paídi O’Brien (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) at 3 mins 5 secs
That’s presuming that all the GC guys finished in the main bunch.
Superb result for Gallagher, as we mentioned, but also for Roger Aiken who has reached a new level in this year’s race. He’s the current national cyclo-cross champion, of course.
Despite the high level of international competitors, it’s been a very good Rás for Irish riders. Ciarán Power and Pezula team-mate David O’Loughlin won stages, while Stephen Gallagher, Mark Cassidy and David McCann (Ireland) all led the race. And Gallagher went on to win overall, finishing 1 minute 42 seconds ahead of Aiken.
It’s the first Irish overall victory since David McCann in 2004.
16.15: We'll leave things there - time for quotes and results! We hope you enjoyed Live coverage from this year's FBD Insurance Ras, which was a fascinating race. These reports were brought to you by FBD Insurance, who made this all possible - please check them out when looking for quotes for all types of insurance.
Congratulations to Dermot Dignam and all his team, too - once again, the race was run at an extremely high standard.
Thanks for reading, come back later for more on today's stage!
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Here Live Reports were last updated:Aug 26th, 2008 - 13:50:32
