|
|
|
Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
BALDO CLOCKS UP STAGE WIN WHILE WEARING YELLOW JERSEY
By Shane Stokes
25 May 2012,
|
Email this article
|
Clocking up his first UCI-ranked victory since he beat Peter Sagan to win a stage of the 2009 Giro del Friuli, Nicolas Baldo marked his first day in the yellow jersey of the An Post Rás with a superb solo win.
The Atlas Jakroo rider recovered from a puncture just before the day’s first category climb of Glengesh Pass, fighting back to the other GC contenders over the summit. He then attacked several times on the run in to the line, with the decisive move coming when he slipped clear inside the final three kilometres.
He swooped down into Killybegs where he hit the line ten seconds clear of Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus), Irish county rider Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) plus 25 others.
The time gained put him thirteen seconds ahead of yesterday’s stage winner Thomas Rostollan (France AVC Aix En Provence) in the overall standings, and a further four ahead of Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha).
Connor McConvey remains best Irishman in seventh. He had hoped to gain time today but his move over the top of Glengesh with four others was hauled back by the chasing group.
Baldo was delighted with the victory, particularly in the way it came about. “It doesn’t happen each day that you win in a yellow jersey,” he said. “It began badly with a puncture before the big climb [Glengesh]. After that I had a lot of tiredness, but recovered on the last climb.
“I attacked two kilometres from the line, and preserved my advantage until the finish. It’s wonderful.”
The day featured many attacks, with a dangerous move containing Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix en Provence), 2009 race winner Simon Richardson (IG Sigma Sport) and Fredrick Johansson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) leading onto Glengesh. They were however caught before the top, while a subsequent move including McConvey and several others also came back.
David McCann (RTS Racing) and Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco Mesterhus) went on the attack in the final seventeen kilometres. This too didn’t last, with Baldo’s surge being the only one which counted in the finale.
Despite the victory, he said that he is not feeling confident yet about the overall win. “No. No, not at all. Everything can happen, it’s only 14 seconds I think, it’s nothing,” he said. “You can have another puncture, crash or whatever. It’s too small to think that I’m confident and it’s already won. No, no, we have to fight and continue the way we did till yet. We’ll see what happens.”
The An Post Rás continues tomorrow with the penultimate stage, a lumpy 161 kilometre race from Donegal town to Cootehill. Sunday’s final stage has tended in the past not to produce big time gaps, and so tomorrow’s clash should see some flat-out racing as teams try to push for yellow.
How things evolved:
If yesterday was warm, today’s sixth stage was a scorcher. The sun was out for the entire 134 kilometre distance from Buncrana to Killybegs, and was also present prior to the start of the stage at 11 am. There were two riders who did not continue, namely Magnus Borresen (Norway Oneco Mesterhus) and Michael O’Reilly (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes).
The early part of the stage was marked by repeated attacks, with young Irish rider Philip Lavery (Britain Node4 Giordana) and Fiachra O’Muire (Meath Dunboyne DID) among the most aggressive. A big move went away thirty kilometres into the stage, containing riders such as the best-placed Irish challenger Connor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) and former race leader Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo). This built an advantage of ten seconds, but got no further than that.
After it was brought back, Lavery attacked again and got half a minute; O’Muire bridged across. At the same time, there was a crash in the bunch, delaying several riders. Sam Bennett (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) and Daniel Clifford (Meath Dunboyne DID Electrical) jumped clear of the bunch and tried to get up to the two leaders. Lasse Norman Hansen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) and Christopher Stevenson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) joined up to make it a four man chase group, which got to within 18 seconds. However the peloton sped up and brought everything back. Lavery tried once more, but was reeled in.
The riders began climbing the category two climb of Meenirroy (km 59.4), where the Czech AC Sparta Praha team drove the pace to try to set up Martin Hunal. He had started the day level on points but second overall to Thomas Rostollan (AVC Aix en Provence) in the One4All Bikes4Work King of the Mountains competition.
Their work did see Hunal gain points, picking up eight, but he was pipped to the top by David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing).
After the summit, Wouter Sybrandy (IG Sigma Sport) clipped away. He was joined by Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco Mesterhus), but the bunch got up to both of them at the 71 kilometre point.
Race leader Nicolas Baldo (Atlas Jakroo) was feeling good and ramped up the pace, showing his rivals that he was ready to fight. Soon after that, David McCann (Taiwan RTS Racing), Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix en Provence), 2009 race winner Simon Richardson (IG Sigma Sport) and Fredrick Johansson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) attacked and got a gap.
McCann opted not to continue, going back to the bunch, but the other three pressed onwards and raced through Genties (km 83), where their gap was up to one minute. Sarreboubee had started the stage tenth overall, just 27 seconds back, and so he had become race leader on the road.
Just after Ardara (km 93.2), where the gap was a minute and a half, Baldo punctured. It was a crucial point of the race as the first category climb of Glengesh was about to start, but he was able to make his way back to the peloton after several kilometres of chasing.
His task was made all the more difficult by the fact that the An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team pushed the pace right up on the climb. This had the double effect of putting Baldo under big pressure and also bringing back the break, which was caught just after the hairpin bends on the steep first category climb.
Going over the top, McConvey was part of a five man break, led over the prime line by Clarke and Hunal. Fumeaux and Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga Cycling) were also there, and all but Clarke continued onwards. The quartet held a fifteen second lead over a chasing group of approximately 20 riders, which also included the yellow jersey Baldo. However the four were caught with 25 kilometres remaining.
With approximately 17 kilometres remaining, McCann attacked just before the summit of the second category climb of Bogagh. He was joined by several others, including defending champion Bagdonas and mountains rivals Clarke and Rostollan, who were first and second in the prime.
The break was then caught, but McCann attacked again and pushed on alone. He was caught by Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco Mesterhus) and the two worked together for several kilometres. They opened a 29 second gap. Hagen, who was feeling stronger, then left the Irishman behind. He was first to the top of the second category climb of Bavin, while Clarke picked up second place and made sure that he would wear the mountains jersey tomorrow.
Inside the final ten kilometres, Hagen held a 21 second lead. Race leader Baldo was feeling good and set off in pursuit; while he was eventually brought back, the surge gave the peloton the impetus to also nab Hagen.
Baldo wasn’t finished, though; he attacked inside the final three kilometres and managed to open a gap. He tore on to the finish, where he soled in for his first UCI-ranked win in three years, and reinforced his overall race lead.
Second place went to Krister Hagen, with Adam Armstrong taking a superb third and McCann sixth.
Baldo ended the day thirteen seconds clear of Rostollan, with Hunal a further four seconds back in third. McConvey is best Irishman in seventh, while McCann is eleventh and Armstrong fourteenth.
An Post Rás 2012
Stage six, Buncrana to Killybegs:
1, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 134.4 kilometres in 3 hours 6 mins 44 secs
2, Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus) at 10 secs
3, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles)
4, Richard Lang (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
5, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo)
6, David McCann (Taiwan RTS Racing)
7, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing)
8, Rolf Nyborg Broge (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
9, Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga Cycling)
10, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly)
11, Pieter Bulling (New Zealand National Team)
12, Taylor Gunman (New Zealand National Team)
13, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha)
14, Ryan Sherlock (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce)
15, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) all same time
Primes:
Category 2 KOM at Meenirroy:
1, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 10 pts
2, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 8
3, Christopher Stevenson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 6
4, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 4
5, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 3
6, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 1
Category 1 KOM at Glengesh:
1, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 15 pts
2, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 12
3, Jonathan Fumeaux (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 10
4, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 8
5, Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga Cycling) 6
6, Bouke Kuiper (Netherlands Koga Cycling) 5
7, Fredrick Johansson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 3
Category 2 KOM at Bogagh:
1, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 10 pts
2, Thomas Rostollan (France AVC Aix En Provence) 8
3, Bouke Kuiper (Netherlands Koga Cycling) 6
4, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 4
5, David McCann (Taiwan RTS Racing) 3
6, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 1
Category 2 KOM at Bavin:
1, Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus) 10
2, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 8
3, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 6
4, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 4
5, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 3
6, Bouke Kuiper (Netherlands Koga Cycling) 1
Cuchulainn Crystal county rider:
1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) 3 hours 6 mins 54 secs
International team:
1, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo, 9 hours 20 mins 32secs
2, Britain Rapha Condor Sharp, at 15 secs
3, Netherlands Koga Cycling, at 2 mins 55 secs
4, Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly, at 5 mins 46
5, Britain Node4 Giordana, at 6 mins 19 secs
County team:
1, Dublin West Eurocycles, 9 hours 33 mins
2, Tipperary Carrick Iverk Produce, at 3 mins 9 secs
3, Louth Cuchulainn Crystal, at 15 mins 52 secs
4, Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes, at 17 mins 28 secs
5, Mayo Castlebar Western Edge, at 18 mins 41 secs
General classification after stage 6:
1, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 19 hours 26 mins 28 secs
2, Thomas Rostollan (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 13 secs
3, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) at 17 secs
4, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 18 secs
5, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) same time
6, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 21 secs
7, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 24 secs
8, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 33 secs
9, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 37 secs
10, Wouter Sybrandy (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) at 39 secs
11, David McCann (Taiwan RTS Racing) same time
12, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) at 44 secs
13, Jonathan Fumeaux (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 49 secs
14, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) at 52 secs
15, Bouke Kuiper (Netherlands Koga Cycling) same time
Post office sprints:
1, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 62
2, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 60
3, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) 43
4, Jonathan Fumeaux (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 40
5, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 39
One4All Bike2Work King of the Mountains:
1, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 75
2, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 61
3, Thomas Rostollan (France AVC Aix En Provence) 48
4, Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus) 31
4, Gruffudd Lewis (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 29
Irish Sports Council U23 rider:
1, Richard Handley (Rapha Condor Sharp) 19 hours 26 mins 46 secs
2, Lasse Norman Hansen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) at 4 mins 30 secs
3, Pieter Bulling (New Zealand National Team) at 5 mins 8 secs
4, Christopher Jennings (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) at 5 mins 9 secs
5, Julien Ammendola (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 8 mins 1 sec
CI Category 2:
1, Art MacManusa (Dublin South UCD) 19 hours 49 mins 29 secs
2, Christopher Reilly (Meath Stamullen MartinDonnelly) at 3 mins 34 secs
3, Keith Walls (Meath Stamullen MartinDonnelly) at 13 mins 48 secs
4, Ciaran O'Sullivan (Antrim Chain Reaction Cycles) at 20 mins 3 secs
5, John O'Shea (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce) at 26 mins 51 secs
Fitz Cycles county rider:
1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) 19 hours 27 mins 20 secs
2, Ryan Sherlock (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce) at 7 secs
3, Patrick Clarke (Mayo Castlebar Western Edge) at 8 mins 54 secs
4, Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy) at 9 mins 43 secs
5, Conor Murphy (Dublin West Eurocycles) at 11 mins 59 secs
International team:
1, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo, 58 mins 20 mins 8 secs
2, Netherlands Koga Cycling, at 4 mins 34 secs
3, Britain Rapha Condor Sharp, at 6 mins 57 secs
4, France AVC Aix en Provence, at 7 mins 10 secs
5, Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly, at 8 mins 2 secs
County team:
1, Dublin West Eurocyces, 58 hours 45 mins 55 secs
2, Tipperary Carrick Iverk Produce, at 12 mins 28 secs
3, Carlow Dan Morrissey, at 34 mins 31 secs
4, Meath Dunboyne DID Electrical, at 44 mins 11 secs
5, Mayo Castlebar Western Edge, at 48 mins 23 secs
|
|
|
|
