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Last Updated: Jul 14th, 2008 - 20:38:34 |
M DONNELLY JUNIOR TOUR: STAGE 6 REPORT
By Tommy Campbell
Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent
Jul 14, 2008,
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© Tommy Campbell
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| Sam Bennett crossing the finish in the bunch |
Sam Bennett of the Stena Ireland team confirmed his superiority yesterday when he claimed overall victory in the Martin Donnelly Junior Tour which ended in Castlebar after six days of competition over 552 kms of racing.
So, yet another JT has been confined to the history books, but by all accounts, it was one of the most testing in recent years. The level of competition by the competitors was excellent and this was echoed throughout the Lough Lannagh Village in Castlebar yesterday afternoon after an excellent lunch as the friends and foe waited for the prize presentation.
It was unique in the sense that Sam although born in Belgium brought a sense of relief to the Irish supporters who were over the moon with his win as he lifted the JT Trophy aloft in the village. Possibly the 30,000 crowd on their way into Michale Park for the Connacht Final (Mayo versus Galway) would have heard the roar of approval and they could have been of the opinion that they missed a score.
It is rare that a first year junior who was runner up the previous year could come back and lift the trophy the next outing as they can only get two bites of the cherry.
But the bold Sam showed that it could be done. And he did it in style.
The history books will only show the result, but the real story will do the rounds in the coming years, hopefully! (Of course somebody should write the history of the JT as it would make fascinating reading, world champions, tour de France stage winners! Ah, the list could go on and on).
Last Tuesday on a balmy evening four kilometers from the ascent of the Windy Gap outside a local school the competitors assembled for the race against the clock! Dare I say, a million midgets were on hand! Tell that to the official starter, Phil O'Brien who showed me the bites on his arms. Ah, Phil they certainly liked the good fresh blood of a Bray man.
The first man out the blocks was the Manx competitor Mark Christian who set the fastest time , but it was left to the very last turn of the pedals for Sam to deposit the wining time by less than one second.
So, on day one Sam went from last to first on the final day of the 'JT' if you get my drift?
Amazingly, the Stena Ireland Team shifted the chairs on the deck and Philip Lavery headed up the race on day two in Westport, but the margin for Sam was three seconds. But the lead is the 'lead' and the Irish camp were still very much the driving force in the JT despite the classy opposition.
On day three the 'Achill' stage was fascinating as the riders went through some of the most beautiful scenery in Mayo if not Ireland. But, they were not aware of it!
On the run in five were in contention, but the day belonged to the green tunics of Stena Ireland with Sam Bennett winning the stage and Philip Lavery retaining the yellow jersey at the finish on the outskirts of Castlebar.
At the mid point of the tour, it looked as though the 12 who etched out the lead after stage three would hold the key to the final outcome.
Still bike racing is a strange animal and stage four certainly caused a big stir. The Stena Ireland may have benefited, but for Philip Lavery his day in the yellow tunic had disappeared, all because of a broken shoe plate just opposite the entrance to the world famous 'Ceide Fields' which is maintained by the Office of Public Works 10kms from the finish in Ballycastle. Charles Prendergast won the stage from Marcus Christle of the Usher Irish Road Club who simply would not surrender when the bunch had them in their sights just on the 30 second marker. But the duo strove ahead to win the day and the reappearance of Sam in the yellow again.
Day five dawned and the weather did not look the best, but Brendan Quigley assured me that all would be well.
The penultimate day is always a cat mouse game for the competitors and so it was. Evidently the 10 kilometer marker is the make or break line. Well! on this occasion it certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons.
An inconspicuous break went away from the main group. Within a short space of time the advantage had shot up to just short of two minutes. Suddenly the alarm bells started and it was down to Charles Prendergast and Michael Duffy of the Stena Ireland team who done most of the donkey work to bring back the group which started to splinter on the long climb up to the top of the 'Gap.'
The final day was a particularly early start for the competitors who lined up in front of the main house in the village shortly after nine for the 100km stage which started and finished in Castlebar.
A lead group went ahead early on the stage. Admittedly they were given some latitude to savour the Mayo air, but the Stena boys had them on the radar and Sam was well marshalled all along the route.
Yesterday’s stage was won by Dan McLay of the Dave Rayner Team who despite crashing in the early on the stage at Westport came through to win the prize but the day belonged to Sam Bennett and the Stena Ireland team managed by Brian Taffee jnr. Brian like Sam was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Sam finished in eight place with hands held aloft in salute.
He ended an eight year span without an Irish win the event.
“I finished second last year, but today’s win was a defining moment in my short career. I can thank Martin O’Loughlin of the Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers CC. for his excellent coaching. Without him I would not have won the race. He gave the belief and the will,” said Sam.
Martin Donnelly Junior Tour
Stage 6-Castlebar/Castlebar,101kms.
Details:
1 D. McLay (Dave Rayner), 2hrs.29mins.00secs;
2 C. Whorall (Isle of Man), same time;
3 J. Segers (Tempo BMV Veldhoven), st;
4 S. Doona (Development Squad/Ireland), st;
5 T. Skubala (Dave Raynor Team), st;
6 T. Black (Isle of Man), st.
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| Sam with the Junior Tour Perpetual John McCormack Trophy |
Overall after six stages
1 Sam Bennett (Stena Ireland), 14.38.39;
2 M. Christian (Isle of Man), @28;
3 S. Lambert Lemay (Hot Tubes), @29;
4 D. Jelfs (BC West Midlands), @48;
5 N. Edmonson (Dave Rayner Team), @1.19;
6 D. Schils (Dave Raynor Team), @1.33;
Team: Stena Ireland.
Points: Bennett.
Mountains: N. Brown (Hot Tubes).
1st Year Junior: Schils.
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IMPORTANT: All articles,
quotes and results which appear on this page are strictly © Copyright
2008 Tommy Campbell,
IrishCycling.com.
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