An Post Ras Stage 1 Race Passing at 60k
 

The next intermediate sprint occurred at Ballylynan (km 94.5), and there
defending champion Bagdonas triumphed ahead of Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix
en Provence). Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo), was quickest out of a
five man move at Farnon�s Hill (km 102. Bagdonas subsequently beat Clarke to
the top of the second category Glenmagoo (km 122), with the prime line there
also doubling up as the day�s third intermediate sprint.

The final break slipped clear inside the last ten kilometres and with these
stayling clear, Bialoblocki triumphed over the others.

�It is great to have the yellow jersey but for sure is a very hard race and
there are still seven days to go,� he said afterwards.

Lavery�s sixth place overall marks him out as one to watch. He said that the
pressure is off now after the team won the green, yellow and polka dot jerseys.
�We have taken almost every jersey, the yellow jersey and the stage win,� he
said after the stage. �If you had offered us that at the start of the day, we
would have taken that, so we are pretty happy.

�We don�t have any illusions about how the rest of the week might go. We
will take today as a bonus�the pressure is off now, we don�t need to do
anything more in the race, but in reality it would be nice. We will take each
day as it comes from here on in.�

He said that his personal goals were to try to pick up a stage win plus the
resulting UCI points that would secure. He�ll also keep an eye on the overall.
�I will take it day by day, ride each stage as a one day race. I think if you
do that in the Ras, everything else will follow.�


How things played out:

A total of 163 riders started today�s first stage of the An Post R�s, with
one team missing; this was the Moroccan squad, which ran into visa complications
yesterday and was forced to pull out.

The opening leg began in Dunboyne and would cover 147 kilometres to Kilkenny.
During that time, the riders would scrap it out at An Post Hot Spot sprints at
the Hill of Allen (km 54.1), Ballylynan (km 94.5) and Glenmagoo (km 122). There
would also be two King of the Mountains primes, the category three ascent of
Farnons Hill (km 102) and the third category climb at Glenmagoo, doubling up as
that intermediate sprint.

With time bonuses on offer at the An Post sprints, it was certain that the stage
would be an aggressive one, but also that the teams in the bunch would try to
control any breaks.

First to attack were Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco � Mesterhus) and Adam
Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) who surged clear soon after the neutralised
lap of Dunboyne, but who were caught soon afterwards. Subsequent breakaway
attempts suffered the same fate, with nothing staying away for long.

Shortly before that first An Post Hot Spot sprint, several riders succeeded in
pulling ahead. They were Sam Bennett (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly), Mark Sehested
Pedersen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling), Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga
Cycling), Michael Vingerling (Netherlands Koga Cycling), Krister Hagen (Norway
Oneco- Mesterhus), Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus), Wouter Sybrandy
(Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport), Philip Lavery (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing),
Fredrick Johansson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) and James Gullen (Britain East
Midlands Metaltek), but those chasing behind succeeded in bringing things
together before the prime line.

Lavery had enough left to pick up top points and a three second bonus there,
ahead of Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG Sigma Sport) and Richard Lang (Britain
Rapha Condor Sharp).

A flurry of attacks followed but once again, little leeway was given. Defending
champion Gediminas Bagdonas (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) took the
intermediate sprint in Ballylynan ahead of Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix en
Provence) and Michael Brady (Mayo Centra). This occurred 94.5 kilometres after
the start and very soon afterwards, five riders clipped away and opened a decent
lead.










Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo), Thomas Rostollan (France AVC Aix en
Provence), Dan Craven (Britain IG Sigma Sport), David Clarke (Britain Node4
Giordada) and Christopher Stevenson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) raced onwards and
built a lead of over half a minute; recognising the danger, Sam Bennett (An Post
Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) tried to get across but taking on five riders proved
to be too much and he was caught.

Clarke collected top points on the category three Farnons Hill climb, ahead of
Baldo and Stephenson. This came 102 kilometres after the start but the move was
overhauled approximately twenty kilometres later. It came back just before the
second category climb at Glenmagoo (km 122), where Bagdonas triumphed over
Clarke and Hunal.

With 25 kilometres remaining Jonathan Fumeaux (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) decided
to play his card, attacking hard and gaining fifteen seconds. However this was
overhauled, as was a subsequent effort by four riders.

A more successful quartet made its move inside the final ten kilometres, when
Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water), Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo),
former race winner Simon Richardson (Britain IG Sigma Sport) and Marcin
Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Girodana) got a gap.

They built a lead of 24 seconds and while this was gradually whittled down by
the hard-chasing bunch, they retained just enough of a gap racing through the
narrow, crowd-lined streets of Kilkenny to hold out for the stage win.

Bialoblocki was quickest in the gallop to the line, beating Nielsen, Baldo and
Richardson. Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling) and Bagdonas led in the main
bunch six seconds behind the winner, keeping the gaps small after the first
stage.

Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) was best in the Cuchulainn
Crystal county rider ranking, with Denmark Blue Water and Carlow Dan Morrissey
Speedy Spokes best in the international team and county team awards.

The first general classification generally followed the pattern of the stage
finish, although the intermediate sprint results helped put Bagdonas in fourth
and Lavery in sixth.

Bialoblocki was awarded the Post office sprints jersey, Clarke ended the day in
the One4All Bikes4Work King of the Mountains jersey while Lavery, Simon Ryan
(Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh) and Buggle were top in the Irish Sports Council
Under 23, CI Category 2 and Fitz Cycles county rider standings.

The An Post R�s continues tomorrow with a stage that is predicted to be more
likely to break things up. The race from Kilkenny to Gort covers 158 kilometres
and includes Post Office sprints at Freshford (km 10.5) and Urlingford (km
15.5), plus category three climbs at Coonmore (km 75), Ogonnelle (km 114),
Lecarrow (km 131.5), Aylebaun (km 134.5) and Killanena (km 142).

The latter is sixteen kilometres from the finish, and could be the final launch
pad for a stage-winning surge into Gort.

An Post Ras Stage 1 Finish Video and Marcin Bialoblocki interview
 

Philip Lavery speaks after taking best young rider jersey at An Post R�s
 

Presentation Pictures courtesy of Sportsfile

An Post R�s (2.2) Stage 1, Dunboyne to Kilkenny:

1, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Girodana) 147 kilometres in 3 hours 9 mins
4 secs
2, Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water) same time
3, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 2 secs
4, Simon Richardson (Britain IG Sigma Sport) same time
5, Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling) at 6 secs
6, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
7, Peter Hawkins (Britain IG Sigma Sport)
8, Cameron Karwowski (New Zealand National Team)
9, Mark Sehested Pedersen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
10, Ben Grenda (Britain Rapha Condor) all same time
11, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence)
12, Marcel Aregger (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo)
13, Pieter Bulling (New Zealand National Team)
14, Wouter Sybrandy (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport)
15, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo)



Primes:

Hot spot sprint at Hill of Allen (km 54.1):

1, Philip Lavery (Node4 Giordana) 3 seconds
2, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG Sigma Sport) 2
3, Richard Lang (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 1

An Post Hotspot sprint at Ballynan (km 94.5)

1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 3 secs
2, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) 2
3, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 1



KOM category 3 at Farnons Hill (km 102):

1, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana) 5 pts
2, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 4
3, Christopher Stephenson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 3
4, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 1



KOM category 2 at Glenmagoo (km 122):


1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 10 pts
2, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana) 8
3, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 6
4, Christopher Stevenson (Britan UK Youth Cycling) 4
5, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG Sigma Sport) 3
6, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 1



An Post Hotspot sprint at Glenmagoo (km 122):

1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 3 secs
2, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana) 2
3, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 1



Cuchulainn Crystal county rider:

1, Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) 3 hours 9 mins 10 secs


International team:

1, Denmark Blue Water Cycling, 9 hours 27 mins 24 secs
2, Britain Node4 Giordana, same time
3, Britain Team IG � Sigma Sport, at 2 secs
4, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo, same time
5, Czech Republic AC Spart, at 6 secs

County team:

1, Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes, 9 hours 27 mins 30 secs
2, Meath Dunboyne DID Electrical
3, Dublin West Eurocycles
4, Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh
5, Dublin South UCD, all same time



General classification after stage 1:

1, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Girodana) 3 hours 8 mins 54 secs
2, Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water) at 4 secs
3, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 8 secs
4, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) at 10 secs
5, Simon Richardson (Britain IG Sigma Sport) at 12 secs
6, Philip Lavery (Britain Node4 Giordana) at 13 secs
7, Peter Hawkins (Britain IG Sigma Sport) at 14 secs
8, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix en Provence)
9, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha)
10, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana) all same time
11, Richard Lang (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) at 15 secs
12, Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling) at 16 secs
13, Cameron Karwowski (New Zealand National Team)
14, Mark Sehested Pedersen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
15, Ben Grenda (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) all same time


Irish Sports Council Under 23:

1, Philip Lavery (Britain Node4 Giordana) 3 hours 9 mins 7 secs
2, Cameron Karwowski (New Zealand National Team) at 3 secs
3, Mark Sehested Pedersen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) same


CI Category 2:

1, Simon Ryan (Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh) 3 hours 9 mins 10 secs
2, Sean McFadden (Antrim Chain Reaction Cycles)
3, Eoghan Considine (Galway Black Rose) both same time


Fitz Cycles county rider:

1, Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) 3 hours 9 mins 10 secs
2, Simon Ryan (Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh)
3, Daniel Clifford (Meath Dunboyne DID Electrical)


Post office sprints:

1, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 15
2, Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) 14
3, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 13
4, Simon Richardson (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 12
5, Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling) 11


One4All Bikes4Work King of the Mountains:

1, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 13 pts
2, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 10
3, Christopher Stevenson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 7
4, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) 6
5, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 5


International team overall:

1, Denmark Blue Water, 9 hours 27 mins 24 secs
2, Britain Node4 Giordana, same time
3, Britain Team IG � Sigma Sport, at 2 secs
4, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo, same time
5, Czech Republic AC Sparta, at 6 secs


County team overall:

1, Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes, 9 hours 27 mins 30 secs
2, Meath Dunboyne DID Electrical
3, Dublin West Eurocycles
4, Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh
5, Dublin South UCD, all same time