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Last Updated: 14 Oct 2020 - 12:47:15 PM |
Belgian rider Stijn Vandenbergh (Unibet.com) won out over nine other breakaway riders on today's opening 174 kilometre stage of the Tour of Ireland, taking his first pro victory when he soloed to victory in Cork city.
The 23 year old attacked on the false flat which came after the top of the second ascent of the wall-like St. Patrick's Hill, drawing gradually clear of the others. Over the remaining four kilometres to the finish he opened up a 14 second advantage over American rider Aaron Olson (T-Mobile), who was one second ahead of Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com AIS) and six other riders.
Glenn Bak was tenth over the line, 32 seconds behind Vandenbergh. Although he is Danish, he is riding for the Irish Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly team and his presence in the break was the closest thing to good news for the Irish today.
Nicolas Roche (Ireland national team) had started the race tipped to do well but was forced to pull out during the stage due to a saddle sore. He had been suffering in recent days with the infected hair follicle and was in considerable pain while sitting on the bike.
Bakos team-mate Paidi O'Brien was best of the Irish in 20th place. However he and the rest of the riders in the main bunch all finished over 13 minutes back and so it appears that the final race victory will be fought out amongst the ten riders who were in today's audacious move.
O'Brien, the rest of the home contingent and the big international names who missed the break must now be content with chasing a stage victories in the four remaining days of racing.
The Tour of Ireland continues tomorrow with what is regarded by some as potentially the hardest day. Starting in Clonakilty the 166 kilometre race will pass through the Beara Peninsula, taking in the Healy Pass and Moll's Gap plus other smaller climbs en route to the finish in Killarney.
How it happened:
After two months of cloudy skies and rain, the weather has gradually been improving in recent days and today's first stage of the Tour of Ireland began in sunny conditions. 107 riders rolled out of Kilkenny City at 12.35 pm, setting off from the ancient castle and moving out on the road towards Sean Kelly's hometown of Carrick on Suir.
The pace was steady at the beginning of the stage but Tom Diggle (Recycling.co.uk) had to make an early effort to return from a crash after being clipped by a motorbike. Heading towards the first sprint in Carrick (39.1 km) the pace sped up, the riders knowing that the bonus seconds here could make a difference later on. Three, two and one seconds would be up for grabs at each of the intermediate sprints, while the first three riders past the finish line at the end of the stage would grab ten, six and four.
A small gap opened up in the in the peloton but it was nothing significant, coming back together at the 21 kilometre point. Then, after 27 kilometres of racing, Moises Aldape Chavez (Ceramica Panaria Navigare) and Timothy Duggan (Slipstream Chipotle) went clear. Ten others set off in pursuit but were soon reabsorbed once more.
The peloton was all together for that first sprint in Carrick and here Matti Breschel (CSC) took the prime ahead of two Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly riders, Glenn Bak and Paidi O'Brien. Former Irish national champion David McCann (Colavita Sutter Home) then attacked after the prime but was recaptured shortly afterwards.
The second sprint of the day took place at Clonmel, 61.8 kilometres after the start. Here Jonas Ljungblad beat UCI Europe Tour leader Martijn Maaskant (Rabobank), Borut Bozic (LPR) and Pieter Jacobs (Unibet.com) to take five points and three bonus seconds.
Approximately ten kilometres afterwards a group of ten riders clipped away and began to build a good lead. The move comprised Aaron Olsen (T-Mobile), Marcus Ljungvist (CSC), Pieter Jacobs and Stijn Vandenburgh (Unibet.com), Valeriy Kobzarenko (Navitagors Insurance), Craig Lewis (Team Slipstream), Glenn Bak (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly), Roger Beuchat (Team LPR), Wesley Sulzberger (South Australia AIS) and Gabriel Rasch (Team Maxbo Bianchi).
Although there were no huge names there, many of the big teams were represented and it was clear that the move could work. Those who missed out included Ceramica Panaria Navigare, the Rabobank continental team and Ireland, but there was worse news for the latter squad when it was announced that Nicolas Roche was out of the race.
Along with Philip Deignan he was one of the two leaders of the national team but, unbeknownst to many, he had been suffering with a saddle sore in recent days. Despite hopes that things would settle down in time, he soon realised that all was not right and took the reluctant decision to call things quits around the 77 kilometre point.
The break pressed on and had a gap of one and a half minutes on the climb of the Vee. The riders pushed hard on the 7.3 kilometre ascent and down the other side and were a considerably healthier four minutes and five seconds clear by the time they hit the town of Lismore, 65 kilometres from the end of the stage.
Stijn Vandenbergh won the An Post intermediate sprint here ahead of Ljungqvist and Beuchat (Team LPR) and the break then continued to gain serious time on the run-in to Cork.
The city is dominated by the wall-like St. Patrick's Hill, clearly visible from the main street, and with eight kilometres remaining the break swung right and started up the ramp. The climb is just 300 metres long but becomes steeper and steeper near the top; Ljungqvist was strongest on the first ascent, crossing the prime line ahead of Sulzberger, Rasch, Bak, Beuchat and Kobzarenko, then kept going on the more gradual climb which followed. He did what he could to open a decisive lead but the other nine eventually reeled him back.
After completing the 3.4 kilometre circuit, the riders raced onto the hill for the second and final ascent. Things were more controlled this time, with the effort being gradually wound up towards the prime line. Beuchat led Lewis, Kobzarenko, Ljungqvist, Olson and Rasch across the line, with the other four latched on the back.
Vandenbergh had been having problems getting into his lowest gear but once onto the more gradual slopes past the prime line he had the right ratios to try something. He surged clear and although Beuchat tried to close down the move, the lanky Belgian was fully committed and drew clear. He rode well down the technical descent and continued all the way to the line, celebrating his first pro win.
Olson clipped away inside the final kilometre and finished 14 seconds back, while Sulzberger, Rasch, Jacobs and Beuchat came home one second later and completed the top six. All bar Bak finished in this break, while the Danish rider crossed the line 32 seconds behind the winner, having suffered from cramps.
The main field was a long way back and indeed went with half a minute of being tangled up with the break on the finishing circuit. Luis Pasamontes (Unibet.com) and Matti Breschel (Team CSC) were 11th and 12th, 13 minutes 15 seconds back, and Alessandro Maserati (Team LPR) led home the peloton some 17 seconds later.
The margin between break and bunch means that baring a huge turnaround, one of the ten will win the race overall. With two Unibet riders in the move Vandenbergh and Jacobs have an important advantage but Ljungqvist must also fancy his chances as the CSC squad are likely to be the strongest in the race. Those who were in the move will scrap it out over the next few days while the others who missed it particularly the teams who had no representation, such as Ireland will do what they can to fight for a stage win.
The Tour of Ireland continues with what is regarded by many as potentially the hardest stage. Starting in Clonakilty the 166 kilometre race will pass through the Beara Peninsula, taking in the Healy Pass and Moll's Gap plus other smaller climbs en route to the finish in Killarney.
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Tour of Ireland (2.1, August 22nd - 26th)
Stage 1, Kilkenny to Cork:
1, Stijn Vandenbergh (Unibet.com) 174 kilometres in 4 hours 2 mins 3 secs
2, Aaron Olson (T-Mobile) at 14 secs
3, Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com AIS) at 15 secs
4, Gabriel Rasch (Team Maxbo-Bianchi)
5, Pieter Jacobs (Unibet.com)
6, Roger Beuchat (Team LPR)
7, Valeriy Kobzarenko (Navigators Insurance)
8, Craig Lewis (Team Slipstream)
9, Marcus Ljungqvist (Team CSC) all same time
10, Glenn Bak (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 32 secs
11, Luis Pasamontes (Unibet.com) at 13 mins 15 secs
12, Matti Breschel (Team CSC) same time
13, Alessandro Maserati (Team LPR) at 13 mins 32 secs
14, Charles Dionne (Colavita Sutter Home)
15, Matteo Priamo (Ceramica Panaria Navigare) both same time
Primes:
An Post sprint, Carrick on Suir:
1, Matti Breschel (Team CSC) 5 pts/3 secs
2, Glenn Bak (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 3 pts/2 secs
3, Paidi O'Brien (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 2 pts/1 sec
4, Timothy Duggan (Slipstream Cipotle) 1 pt
An Post sprint, Clonmel:
1, Jonas Ljungblad (Unibet.com) 5 pts/3 secs
2, Martijn Maaskant (Rabobank) 3 pts/2 secs
3, Borut Bozic (Team LPR) 2 pts/1 sec
4, Pieter Jacobs (Unibet.com) 1 pt
KOM category 2, The Vee:
1, Glenn Bak (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 10 pts
2, Stijn Vandenbergh (Unibet.com) 7
3, Roger Beuchat (Team LPR) 4
4, Pieter Jacobs (Unibet.com) 2
5, Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com/AIS) 1
An Post sprint, Lismore:
1, Stijn Vandenbergh (Unibet.com) 5 pts/3 secs
2, Marcus Ljungqvist (CSC) 3 pts/2 secs
3, Roger Beuchat (Team LPR) 2 pts/1 sec
4, Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com/AIS) 1 pt
KOM category 1, St. Patrick's Hill:
1, Marcus Ljungqvist (CSC) 15 pts
2, Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com/AIS) 12 pts
3, Gabriel Rasch (Team Maxbo-Bianchi) 10
4, Glenn Bak (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 8
5, Roger Beuchat (LPR) 6
6, Valeriy Kobzarenko (Navigators Insurance) 4
KOM category 1, St. Patrick's Hill (lap 2):
1, Roger Beuchat (LPR) 15 pts
2, Craig Lewis (Team Slipstream) 12
3, Valeriy Kobzarenko (Navigators Insurance) 10 pts
4, Marcus Ljungqvist (CSC) 8
5, Aaron Olson (T-Mobile) 6
6, Gabriel Rasch (Team Maxbo-Bianchi) 4
DiscoverIreland.com General classification:
1, Stijn Vandenbergh (Unibet.com) 174 kilometres in 4 hours 1 mins 50 secs
2, Aaron Olson (T-Mobile) at 21 secs
3, Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com AIS) at 24 secs
4, Marcus Ljungqvist (Team CSC) at 26 secs
5, Roger Beuchat (Team LPR) at 27 secs
6, Gabriel Rasch (Team Maxbo-Bianchi) at 28 secs
7, Pieter Jacobs (Unibet.com)
8, Valeriy Kobzarenko (Navigators Insurance)
9, Craig Lewis (Team Slipstream) all same time
10, Glenn Bak (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 43 secs
11, Matti Breschel (Team CSC) at 13 mins 25 secs
12, Lusi Pasamontes (Unibet.com) at 13 mins 28 secs
13, Jonas Ljungblad (Unibet.com) at 13 mins 42 secs
14, Martijn Maaskant (Rabobank) at 13 mins 43 secs
15, Paidi O'Brien (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 13 mins 44 secs
An Post points classification:
1, Stijn Vandenbergh (Unibet.com) 20
2, Aaron Olson (T-Mobile) 14
3, Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com AIS) 14
King of the mountains:
1, Roger Beuchat (LPR) 25
2, Marcus Ljungqvist (Team CSC) 23
3, Glenn Bak (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 18
Under 23:
1, Stijn Vandenbergh (Unibet.com) 4 hours 1 min 50 secs
2, Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com AIS) at 24 secs
3, Pieter Jacobs (Unibet.com) at 28 secs
Team:
1, Unibet.com, 12 hours 19 mins 39 secs
2, Team CSC, at 13 mins 32 secs
3, T-Mobile team, at 13 mins 48 secs
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