Cycling Round Up

Archives: FBD Milk Rás Report 2000

26th May 2000

FBD Milk Rás Stage 7

BRAVE O'LOUGHLIN ATTEMPT FAILS AS WINN RETAINS LEAD

English national champion John Tanner was first across the line in Enniscorthy, Welshman Julian Winn retained the overall lead, but the big story of yesterday's seventh stage of the FBD Milk Ras was the courageous effort of Mayo rider David O'Loughlin to reclaim the yellow jersey.

The 22 year old slipped from the top of the leaderboard on Thursday, but made his intentions clear after just one of the 94 miles had elapsed yesterday. O'Loughlin determinedly broke free as the race moved away from Mitchelstown, and with 11 others quickly established a decisive lead over Winn, Wayne Randle and Mark Lovatt, the first three overall who were stranded back in a lethargic main bunch.

Working smoothly together, the dozen covered 29 miles in the first hour, mainly under the impetus of O'Loughlin, Tanner, and Ireland-International Cargo Services rider Tommy Evans. Also present in the speeding selection were the Scots Roddy Riddle and Philip Brown, Gregor Willwohl of the German Telecom team, Haymish Haymes of GB Pricket, Swede Mattias Carlsson and the Irish riders J P Hilliard, Adrian Hedderman, Eddy O'Donoghue and former national champion Ray Clarke.

The gap over a Welsh-led main bunch grew steadily and by Carrick On Suir, O'Loughlin had a sufficient advantage to have become race leader on the road. For another top rider the news wasn't so good; French-based Aidan Duff saw his yellow jersey aspirations evaporate on Thursday with mechanical trouble, and midway through yesterday's stage was forced to retire from the race with a knee injury.

Onward over undulating roads through Pilltown, Moincoin and Mullinavat, and the pendulum swung. From a high of almost three minutes, the advantage began to be eroded as the Surrey and Pro-Vision teams combined with Winn's squad to reduce the danger. Sensing that the group were going to be recaptured, Ray Clarke gritted the teeth and soloed clear, only to be scooped up by Tanner and Brown in the closing stages. First Tanner, second Clarke and the Scot third in the rush for the line; the Swedish duo of Magnus Albertsson and Tobias Nilsson led home the bunch ten seconds later, with a recaptured O'Loughlin rueing what might have been.

"We went from the gun, really. Myself, Tommy (Evans), Roddy (Riddle) and one of his team-mates rode really hard, but all the Irish riders were sitting on. If they had worked - all they had to do was tap through - they would have been going for a stage", he said with clear disappointment.

With today's penultimate stage through the Wicklow mountains posing the only realistic chance of making up the two and half minutes on Winn, O'Loughlin was clear what has to be done. "I will go all out again. That is what I have to do. It will be much harder, and I don't think it will be as easy to get a chase organised."

The intentions of aggression are echoed by stage winner Tanner, who will support team mates Randle and Lovatt in their bid to become the first English riders to ever win the Ras. "We are going to treat it as a one day race and really go for it", he promises, conscious that Sunday's one hour circuit race on "Connell street will afford little chance of making up time.

As for the Welshman in everyone's pin-hair sights, Winn is steering well clear of bravado, opting instead for a cautious approach. "I wanted to be in yellow for Saturday, I am, so I will just see how it goes. It is going to be a tough day wait and see what happens. I am not going to make any predictions."

Just as well. With eight riders lurking within five minutes of the 27 year old, some of the toughest climbs in Wicklow awaiting the riders and an Irish team gunning to make amends for what has been a somewhat disappointing week, it is showtime on the FBD Milk Ras. Two stages to go, and everything to play for.

Stage 7 Mitchelstown - Enniscourthy

1, John Tanner (England Pro-Vision) 94 miles in 3 hrs 27 mins 23 secs; 2, R. Clarke (Derry Clarke Contracts) at 1 sec; 3, P. Brown (Scotland Union Transport) same time; 4, M. Albertsson (Sweden Malarenergi) at 10 secs; 5, T. Nilsson (Sweden Malarenergi); 6, E. Moriarty (Ireland - International Cargo Services); 7, M. Salumets (Estonia); 8, D. McCann (Derry Clarke Contracts); 9, J. Winn (Wales); 10, F. McCauley (Ireland - International Cargo Services) all same time.

General Classification

1, Julian Winn (Wales) 674 miles in 26h 32 mins 24 secs; 2, W. Randle (England Pro-Vision) at 1 min 20 secs; 3, M. Lovatt (England Pro-Vision) at 1 min 33 secs; 4, P. Moriarty (Dublin Skip) at 1 min 46 secs; 5, D. O'Loughlin (Mayo NCF) at 2 mins 27 secs; 6, Kristoffer Ingeby (Sweden Malarenergi) at 3 mins 44 secs; 7, E. Moriarty at 3 mins 59 secs; 8, T. Evans (Ireland - International Cargo Services) at 4 mins 19 secs; 9, McCann at 4 mins 41 secs; 10, Tanner at 5 mins 13 secs

Ben McKenna Memorial Competition (Best under 23 rider) 1, D. "Louglin (Mayo) 26 hours 36 mins 51 secs; 2, J. McCarthy (Kerry) at 22 mins 41 secs; 3, S. Prendergast (Dublin Usher) at 50 mins 18 secs.

Cat 2 Overall 1, T. Barry (Cork Triton Ventilux) 26 hours 55 mins 42 secs; 2, A. Donnellan (UCD) at 11 mins 37 secs; 3, J. Crowley (Kerry) at 13 mins 24 secs

National team stage: 1, England Pro-Vision Powerbar

County team stage: 1, Derry Clarke Contracts

National team overall: 1, England Pro-Vision Powerbar

County team overall: 1, Kildare Cahill Cycles

Points competition: 1, McCann; 2, Winn; 3, Lovatt

Mountains competition: 1, McCann; 2, Winn; S. Faruhn (Germany Telecom)