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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
LANG GRABS AN POST RAS YELLOW JERSEY WITH STAGE TWO VICTORY
By Shane Stokes / Pictures Sportsfile
21 May 2012,
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| Pirmin Lang (Atlas Jakroo) |
Winning a seven man sprint to the line in Gort, Swiss rider Pirmin Lang (Atlas Jakroo) took over the race leadership in the An Post R�s today. Showing his power in the final gallop, he beat Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek), James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) and four others to the line. Connor McConvey was best of the Irishmen in seventh, while his An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team-mate Sam Bennett led in the main bunch 28 seconds later.
The septet had got clear approximately forty kilometres into the 158 kilometre stage from Kilkenny, and while the peloton looked at one point like it was likely to reel them in before the line, the leaders rallied in the final eight kilometres and managed to stave off the chase.
�My legs were okay and I felt very well,� a pleased Lang said afterwards. �I hoped that the breakaway would come through. It worked out. My legs were spinning well and I hoped for a good sprint.�
Although the bunch was chasing hard, he said that he believed that his group had a chance if they continued to work well. �With three kilometres to go we got the wind from behind and I knew that we could do it.�
Yesterday�s winner Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) had started the day in the yellow jersey but his team was not able to keep control of things. He slipped back as a result, dropping to eighth overall, but his deficit of twelve seconds means that he is still in the running.
The start of the stage saw several attacks, including two attempts by future Irish Olympian Martyn Irvine (Taiwan RTS Racing) before the day�s winning move went clear. Lang, Appleby, Moss, McConvey, Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling), Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp), Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) and Richard Tanguy (Britain UK Youth Cycling) clipped away approximately 40 kilometres in.
They were chased by six others, but managed to stave off the pursuit. And while the bunch�s speed was enough to bring back those chasers and threaten the break, the leaders battled hard and managed to remain clear until the end.
The result saw Lang move into yellow. He isn�t sure what will happen in the days ahead, but says that he and his team will fight. �I have a chance, but I don�t know what will happen in the next days,� he told Irishcycling.com. �We have a strong team and are all in a good shape. I think any of us could win this race.�
An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team manager Kurt Bogaerts is also determined that his riders fight for yellow. McConvey made it into today�s move and ended the day fifth overall, gaining time on those in the bunch, while last year�s winner Bagdonas ended the day a manageable 22 seconds back.
�I am quite happy how the team are riding, they are really active. Today it was good to have McConvey up there. It keeps our options open for the classification, and takes the pressure away during the stage. It was up to other teams to chase.�
He said that while Bagdonas is the strongest rider on the team at present, that the others are also in good condition. He believes this gives the team several options and means that it will be strategically strong in the days to come.
How things played out:
The second stage of the An Post R�s began in Kilkenny city under bright sunshine and with warm temperatures. The riders faced 158 kilometres of racing before the finish in Gort, with early Post Office sprints coming at Freshford (km 10.5) and Urlingford (km 15.5), then the second half of the stage being marked by five category three climbs. These were at Coonmore (km 75), Ogonnelle (km 114), Lecarrow (km 131.5), Aylebaun (km 134.5) and, sixteen kilometres from the finish, Killanena (km 142).
Yesterday�s stage winner Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Girodana) was wearing the yellow jersey starting the stage. He originally was told he was four seconds clear of the second-placed rider Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water), but the time gaps given yesterday were slightly off and his lead was confirmed this morning as being six seconds. Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) and last year�s winner Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) were third and fourth.
Early on, Fredrick Johansson (Britain UK Youth Cycling), Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus), Edward Barry (Galway Black Rose), Daniel Vejmelka (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) and Stephen Halpin (Britain East Midlands Metaltek) clipped away. The bunch closed them down, but Johansson pushed on ahead and was joined by Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles). They were however caught.
Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) took the An Post Hot Spot sprint at Freshford (km 10.5) and then five kilometres later Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga) won at Urlingford. However, unlike stage one, there were no time bonuses up for grabs. Soon afterwards Irish rider Martyn Irvine (Taiwan RTS Racing) clipped away and opened up an eight second lead. He was brought back, but went again approximately thirty kilometres into the stage. Again, the bunch didn�t give him much space.
Soon after the town of Two Mile Borris, and approximately forty kilometres into the stage, eight riders pushed ahead and quickly opened a gap. These were Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly), Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek), Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling), Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo), Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp), Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport), James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) and Richard Tanguy (Britain UK Youth Cycling) and, covering 46 kilometres in the first hour of racing, extended the lead to twenty seconds.
The peloton relaxed after that point and allowed the break to go out a little further. Graeme Hatcher (Isle of Man) began chasing alone, but after several kilometres was almost a minute behind and losing ground. He got reinforcements in the shape of Sean Lacey (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) and Simon Ryan (Tipperry DMG Visit Nenagh), then Conor McAllister (Antrim Chain Reaction), Robin Kelly (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) and Patrick Clarke (Mayo Castlebar Western Edge) increased the number of chasers to six.
After 58 kilometres, this group was one minute sixteen behind, with the peloton two minutes 38 back. Craven beat Lang and McConvey to the top of the day�s first climb, Coonmore (km 75), then eight kilometres later a time check put the move one minute 55 ahead of the six chasers, and three minutes 55 seconds up on the bunch.
Things started to tighten up from that point. The chasers were caught soon after going through Killaloe (km 106), and the bunch started turning the situation around. Four climbs remained at that point and Handley and Craven fought it out for the right to wear the mountains jersey. Hadley got the upper hand on Ogonnelle (km 114), where Tanguy was dropped and slipped backwards, and again at Lecarrow (km 131.5), while Moss beat Handley at Aylebaun (km 134.5). Craven won at Killanena (km 142).
Meanwhile, as that battle played out, so too did the fight between the break and bunch. The seven leaders were aided by a tailwind that had built up, but looked catchable with 25 kilometres to go. They had two minutes 38 seconds there then, after scaling those two final climbs at Aylebaun (km 134.5) and Killanena (km 142), had one minute eight seconds with ten kilometres remaining.
Under the impetus of former race winner David McCann (RTS Racing), the gap continued to fall and dropped to 56 seconds with nine kilometres left. However the peloton faltered after that and two kilometres out, the leaders were still 49 seconds ahead.
That made it certain that one of the break would win and, in a seven man sprint to the line, Lang beat Appleby, Moss and the rest, taking over the yellow jersey from yesterday�s victor Marcin Bialoblocki.
McConvey was first Irishman in seventh, while his An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team-mate and compatriot Sam Bennett led the bunch home 28 seconds later. Another rider from the team, last year�s winner Gediminas Bagdonas, picked up ninth and took over the green jersey.
Craven won the tussle with Handley for the One4All Bike2Work mountains jersey, but the latter had the consolation of taking over the under 23 classification.
Meanwhile Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) was best county rider on the stage and in the general classification. Britain Node4 Giordana and Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes lead the international and county team rankings; Keith Walls (Meath Stamullen M. Donnelly) is at the head of the CI category 2 competition.
An Post Ras stage 2, Kilkenny to Gort:
1, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 158 kilometres in 3 hours 33 mins 47 secs
2, Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek)
3, James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing)
4, Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
5, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport)
6, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
7, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) all same time
8, Sam Bennett (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 28 secs
9, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly)
10, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence)
11, Rolf Nyborg Broge (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
12, Richard Lang (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
13, Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus)
14, Ben Grenda (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
15, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) all same time
Primes:
An Post Prime: Freshford (km 10.5)
1, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence)
An Post Prime: Urlingford (km 15.5)
1, Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling)
KOM category 3 at Coonmore (km 75):
1, Dan Craven (Britain IG Sigma Sport) 5pts
2, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 4
3, Connor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 3
4, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 1
KOM cat 3 at Ogonnelle (km 114):
1, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 5
2, Dan Craven (Britain IG Sigma Sport) 4
3, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 3
4, Connor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 1
KOM Category 3 at Lecarrow (km 131.5):
1, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 5
2, Dan Craven (IG Sigma Sport) 4
3, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 3
4, Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek) 1
KOM Category 3 at Aylebaun (km 134.5):
1, James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 5
2, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 4
3, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 3
KOM Category 3 at Killanena (km 142)
1, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 5
2, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 4
3, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 3
4, James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 1
Cuchulainn Crystal county rider:
1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles)
International team:
1, Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly, 10 hours 42 mins 17 secs
2, Britain Rapha Condor Sharp
3, Denmark Blue Water Cycling
4, Britain Node4 Girodana
5, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo, all same time
County team:
1, Dublin West Eurocycles, 10 hours 42 mins 45 secs
2, Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes, same
3, Tipperary Carrick Iverk Produce, at 3 mins 14 secs
4, Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh, at 5 mins 56 secs
5, Mayo Castlebar Western Edge, at 6 mins 12 secs
General classification after stage 2:
1, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 3 hours 33 mins 47 secs
2, Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek)
3, James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing)
4, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
5, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly)
6, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport)
7, Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) all same time
8, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 12 secs
9, Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) at 18 secs
10, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 20 secs
11, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 22 secs
12, Simon Richardson (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) at 24 secs
13, Philip Lavery (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 25 secs
14, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 26 secs
15, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) same time
Post Office sprints:
1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 17pts
2, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 16
3, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 15
4, Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek) 14
5, Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) 14
One4All Bikes4Work King of the Mountains:
1, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 23
2, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 20
3, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 13
4, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 13
5, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 10
Irish Sports Council U23:
1, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 6 hours 42 mins 57 secs
2, Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) same
3, Philip Lavery (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 25 secs
4, Ben Grenda (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) at 28 secs
5, Cameron Karwowski (New Zealand National Team) same time
CI category 2:
1, Keith Walls (Meath Stamullen MartinDonnelly) 6 hours 43 mins 25 secs
2, Art MacManusa (Dublin South UCD) at 1 min 37 secs
3, John O'Shea (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce) same time
4, Michael Butler (Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh) at 2 mins 58 secs
5, Ciaran O'Sullivan (Antrim Chain Reaction Cycles) same
Fitz Cycles county rider:
1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) 6 hours 43 mins 25 secs
2, Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy)
3, Tim Barry (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy)
4, Ryan Sherlock (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce)
5, Sean Lacey (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy)
County team:
1, Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes, 20 hours 10 mins 15 secs
2, Dublin West Eurocycles, same time
3, Tipperary Carrick Iverk Produce, at 3 mins 14 secs
4, Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh, at 5 mins 56 secs
5, Meath Dunboyne DID Elecrical, at 6 mins 12 secs
International team:
1, Britain Node4 Girodana, 20 hours 9 mins 41 secs
2, Britain Team IG Sigma Sport, at 2 secs
3, Denmark Blue Water Cycling
4, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo
5, Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly, all same time
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