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Last Updated: 6 Apr 2018 - 3:10:13 PM |
JUNIOR TOUR DAY 4: Irish Stage Win and an American Leader
By Tommy Campbell
14 Jul 2012,
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Friday the 13th was a bad day in the office for team Maxgear Champion Systems, but it was good for Hot Tubes and StenaLine Ireland.
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| Stage winner Ryan Mullen of the StenaIreland team |
Colin Joyce of Hot tubes is the new race leader, StenaLine Ireland, Ryan Mullen storms back and wins stage four. For Maxgear Champion Systems, the omens were certainly not in their favour when Hugh Carthy discovered at the sign on in Mulranny Park Hotel that he had left his shoes behind in Lough Lannagh Holiday Village. Naturally there was panic buttons pushed and a frantic drive of a 60kms there and back was the order of the day by John Ryan who now must be considering applying for a drive in a formula one car. The organisation in the circumstances took the decision to delay the official start for fifteen minutes. To add woe to the team, at the end of a very testing stage around Achill Sound they were relieved of the race lead of the JT when Jacob Ragan trailed in just short of two minutes and slips back in the standings to sixth position.
From the off of the 98.5kms stage it was evident that it was going to a be s testers day. First into the breach was Siebe Bosman of the Tempo Bruns who set the tone for the days racing. A brave move by Jack Whelan of Ultimate Clothing/Leinster to make the junction to the lone leader fell short ad he was overhauled by a chasing group including last years winner Thomas Wrona, Jacob King both of Hot Tubes, Dylan Foley of StenaLine Ireland, James Knox and Tom Armstrong of Mountivation, Ansel Dickey of K.M.S.Cycling Academy and Matthew Doyle of Cycling Ulster Slane Cycles.
Doyle certainly set the bar when he moved ahead and crested the the category one climb at Minaun (a designated area for viewing of the panoramic sights of Achill Sound, not he took in the views.
The climbs certainly took their toll as the race fragmented into various groups.
Eventually Doyle was reeled in by a chase group of fifteen including the stage winner Ryan Mullen. But as the group came back on to the mainland with 20kms to go there was a further regrouping.
For the next 10kms there was moves and counter moves. The elastic finally snapped with Ryan Mullen and Curtis White moving ahead. A betting man would have been confident with Mullen's' TT ability to survive to the finish , but the race behind was one of intrigue with the Maxgear Champion Systems Ragan the race leader and Carthy.
Colin Joyce of the Hot Tubes Team despite finishing fourth on stage four took over as race leader of the JT.
Make no mistake the stage around Achill Sound re jigged the leaderboard with Joyce (Great Grandparents from Bellmullet) nudging himself into pole position with two stages remaining. And, to cement hos position as the race leader, his closest challenger is Curtis White also of Hot Tubes. Back in third place is Cormac Clarke of the StenaLine Ireland team who of the Irish contingent is best placed to keep the trophy at home.
Ryan Mullen also a team mate of Clarke bounced back with a magnificent win after his misfortunes on day two.
Todays stage on paper looks relatively easier to the eye for the 65 survivors. But, it would be foolhardy to anticipate that it is a gimme stage. Expect fireworks and maybe, Maxgear Champion Systems have left something in the oven for the 88km stage that starts and finishes in Castlebar.
Junior Tour of Ireland - Stage 4 Results
Mulranny, Achill Sound, Nevins Restaurant Newport (98.50kms)
1 Ryan Mullen (StenaLine Ireland), 2hrs.36mins.36secs;
2 White Curtis (Hot Tubes B), @2secs;
3 Stephen Bassett (Team Specialized Racing), @28secs;
4 Colin Joyce (Hot Tubes), same time;
5 Cormac Clarke (StenaLine Ireland), @30secs;
6 Harvey Franssen (Tempo Bbruns Veldhoven), @34secs.
Overall after 4 stages
1 Colin Joyce (Hot Tubes), 8.42.50;
2 White Curtis (Hot Tubes B), @33secs;
3 Cormac Clarke (StenaLine Ireland), @49secs;
4 Marcus Smith (Team Specialized Racing), @58secs;
5 Stephen Bassett (Team Specialized Racing), @1.04;
6 Jacob Ragan (Maxgear Champion Systems), @1.19.
Team: StenaLine Ireland.
First Year Junior: White Curtis (Hot Tubes B)
Mountains: Hugh McCarthy (Maxgear Champion Systems.
Points: Colin Joyce (Hot Tubes).
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