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Stage 5, Thursday 27th May, Cahirciveen - Millstreet, 152 Kms.
Start: 11.00
Cahirciveen, Waterville, Coomakista Category 1 KOM, Caherdaniel, Sneem, Kenmare, Kilgarvan, Inchee Mountain Category 1 KOM, Cuil Aodha, Baile Bhuirne, County Bounds Category 3 KOM, Glenfesk, Rathmore, Millstreet.
Finish at The Square in Millstreet.
Estimated finish time: 14.10 earliest/14.48 at 40 kph average
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FBD Milk Ras Live! reports brought to you by Dolan. Please click on images to the right for more information.
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11.14: Good morning and welcome to Dolan – Irishcycling.com’s Live! Coverage of stage five of the FBD Milk Rás. Today’s stage takes the riders from Cahirciveen to Millstreet, a 152 kilometre trek with three categorised climbs.
There are two first category climbs, Coomakista (22.2 kilometres) and Inchee Mountain (98.4 kilometres), plus the third cat County Bounds climb after 111.4 kilometres. Given that the big climbs are relatively early on in the stage, they are unlikely to have the same effect as Coonanaspic yesterday.
They may however be perfect in enabling a group to go clear and so put the yellow jersey Valter Bonca under pressure. He and his Slovenia Perutnina Ptuj team had a tough enough day yesterday, having to chase a ten man break containing David McCann and others for much of the early part of the stage.
11.18: A break of seven riders have opened up a gap on the rest of the race. The riders are Denis Lynch (Ireland – Thorton’s Recycling), Anthony Malarczyk (Wales Stena Line), Branko Filip (Slovenia Perutnina Ptuj), Michael Pudlinksi (USA Stelvio Teamwear – Orbis), Julian Winn (Yorkshire – Murphy and Gunn), Ritchie Cahill (Kerry) and Tim Barry (Tipperary Dan Morrissey).
They have been joined by Valeriy Dmitryev (Kazakhstan)
11.22: Pushed along by a tailwind, the bunch have reeled in the break. The field is all together.
11.24: The sun, which has been shining all week, is today hidden by clouds. It’s still quite bright and mild and, for now at least, there is no sign of rain.
Three riders did not take to the start today, amongst them Jens Schiwedler (Germany Stevens Von Hacht). He had been leading the KOM classification but had a tough day yesterday, missing the break and spending a long time chasing at the front. That meant he was in trouble later on when the race hit the big climbs, suffering a lot on Coonanaspic and finishing 14 minutes 33 seconds down.
11.30: The field is all together as the race heads into Waterville. We’ve covered 14.8 kilometres, and the first big climb starts at 15.6 kilometres.
Philip Cassidy (Meath Lee Strand) has attacked and has fifteen seconds.
11.32: He's holding that gap as the race moves onto the foothills of Coomakista.
11.33: Cassidy has 25 seconds now, with one rider chasing.
11.34: The chaser Xavier Melendez (USA Stelvio Teamwear – Orbis) is at 25 seconds, ten ahead of the bunch.
We believe that Dermot Nally’s parents have been following this coverage from Spain. If they are tuned in today, good morning from Kerry! We hope to bring you some good news today about Dermot’s progress – he has been riding very well.
11.37: The chaser has been absorbed, with the bunch now at 25 seconds. This climb isn’t too steep, certainly nothing like Coonanaspic. For want of a more eloquent word, that one was a stinker.
O’Loughlin has attacked from the bunch….. He is being chased by Julian Winn, with the bunch further back.
The gap is ten seconds, the two chasers closing up to Cassidy.
11.40: They’ve caught Cassidy, who will be glad of some company.
The bunch has stalled and the gap is opening up somewhat. Cassidy has been dropped. There seems to be a strong headwind blowing towards the top of this mountain.
The two leaders have 30 seconds.
11.42; Coverage is bad up on the mountain, so updates might be delayed somewhat. Bear with us….
11.43 George Rose (North Wales – Energy Cycles) has joined Cassidy. They are at 22 seconds, with the bunch at 32. O’Loughlin is doing all the work at the front.
The Slovenia Perutnina Ptuj team are chasing at the front, and have mopped up the two chasers.
O’Loughlin is really going for it on this climb. He’s in great form this year – nice to see him riding well in the FBD Milk Rás after two previous participations ruined by illness.
The two leaders are 37 seconds clear and are getting close to the top.
11.49: The Irish team are in a very nice position to challenge for yellow, with O’Loughlin, McCann and Lynch third, fourth and fifth overall. They can fire off attacks all day and put Bonca under real pressure.
He’s very experienced, a 36 year old professional who has ridden the Tour of Italy twice in his career and finishing 35th overall. He won’t panic when those attacks come, but he is handicapped by the fact that he has only three team-mates in the race. Their last rider didn’t come due to injury.
11.56: The latest time check puts O’Loughlin 1 minute and 13 seconds ahead of the Slovenian – led peloton. The Mayo rider is the maillot jaune virtuel, as they’d say somewhere else…..
Winn is contributing, also taking big turns at the front. The two look very committed.
12.05: The results at the top of the first cat KOM of Coomakista are:
1, David O’Loughlin (Ireland – Thorton’s Recycing)
2, Julian Winn (Yorkshire – Murphy and Gunn)
3, Branko Filip (Slovenia Perutnina Ptuj)
4, Eugene Moriarty (Ireland – Thorton’s Recycling)
5, Glenn Bak (Scandinavia Bianchi Nordic)
6, Dermot Nally (Galway)
7, Massimo Demarin (Slovenia Perutnina Ptuj)
12.08: Former national team director Alasdair McLennon is on the race, driving RTE’s Roy Willougby and yours truly today. He’s going to miss the big showdown on Saturday because of Terry Dolan’s wedding. ‘Maybe Julie will be able to slap some manners into him!’ he says.
McLennon has nominated Nally as the dark horse of the race. ‘He’s there or thereabouts the whole time and could be right up there at the end.’
12.11: The two leaders are holding their gap well. They are 1 minute 37 seconds ahead of the main field, with Cassidy and Lee Rosenthal (USA CRCA/Sakonnet) chasing in between, about ten seconds up on the bunch.
The wind has totally died down.
12.16: Cassidy has dropped Rosenthal.
The riders have covered 40 kilometres thus far. Cassidy has now sat up and is going back to the bunch, which is in one long line.
What was most impressive about McCann and O’Loughlin’s performance yesterday was their recovery after big efforts. Both had been clear before the big climbs at the end, yet were amongst the very strongest on the final big climb. They are both clearly in great shape.
12.20: O’Loughlin dropped back from Winn, having a ‘natural break’ on the bike. After the waterworks he sat up and started eating – it looked like he was giving up and going back to the bunch, but behind, Tommy Evans has attacked and gone clear. The plan seems to be for him to bridge up to O’Loughlin and the two to pull away again.
Cassidy jumped across to Evans but the Slovenia Perutnina Ptuj team closed them both down. Winn is now just 46 seconds clear, with O’Loughlin back in the main bunch.
He clearly decided it was too early to persist with the attack. They have however put Bonca’s team under pressure early on – when the fireworks start later this could be very relevant.
David O'Loughlin during his early breakaway
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12.26: Winn is now just 28 seconds clear and looks set to be caught very soon. The race is passing through Sneem, with 48 kilometres covered.
12.27: Winn has been caught.
12.34: Scandinavia Bianchi Nordic team-mates Kimmo Kananen and Tobias Lergard have attacked from the main field. Lergard is two minutes down in tenth place.
The two leaders have 18 seconds.
12.45: The two leaders are now 48 seconds clear. The riders have covered 64 kilometres.
12.48: Lergard has been driving this along, doing most of the work. They are now 55 seconds clear.
12.54: The two leaders are faring well, further extending their lead to over one minute. Lergard has a double motivation for being up the road, as he is also leading the KOM competition. He should take maximum points at Inchee Mountain, providing they stay away till then, of course.
Inchee is at the 98.4 kilometre point of this stage.
13.01: The two leaders are 1 minute 14 seconds clear. They are passing through Kenmare (73.7 kilometres)
13.07: Timmy Barry (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) and Ritchie Cahill (Kerry) have attacked from the bunch. They are both Corkmen and so will be keen to do well today.
13.10: The two chasers are moving clear of the main bunch. They are 1 minute and 19 seconds behind the Scandinavia Bianchi Nordic leaders. The main bunch is at 1 minute 47 seconds.
13.17: Cruel luck for the two chasers….Barry punctured and there was no support car nearby. He will have to get a new wheel from the neutralised service behind the main bunch...so he will go from being up the road to chasing back on to the peloton in the space of a couple of kilometres. That’s unfortunate.
13.20: Cahill is still clear of the main bunch but is likely to be hauled back soon. He is 1 minute 34 seconds behind the two leaders, with the main field at two minutes.
13.25: With Lergard now over two minutes clear, he is now the race leader on the road.
13.28: The riders are now about to start the second climb of the day, the category one ascent of Inchee Mountain. Will the Irish team and/or other riders use this as a platform for more attacks on Bonca’s yellow jersey?
13.35: Apologies for the delay…coverage is very patchy in the mountains… Should be okay after this, though…
The Slovenians are setting a steady tempo on the climb, which isn’t very steep at all thus far.
13.45: Correction…we are quite a bit behind schedule and are starting the climb now. That will explain the gentle gradient earlier!
13.46: Lergard dropped Kananen a few kilometres back. The former is persisting, despite a headwind, while Kananen has gone back to the main field.
The riders are now on the climb. Paul Griffin (Kerry) has attacked and opened up a fifty metre lead. He lost some time yesterday, coming in 1 minute 42 seconds behind McCann in 14th place.
13.50: Lergard has further extended his lead in the mountains jersey, crossing the summit in first place. Griffin has been reeled in before the top.
We are now behind the main field (Roy Willougby stopped to do a live radio report). Should make for some creative driving later on, to get back up to the front. One advantage is that there is a clear view of the main bunch, which has split into three pieces on this climb.
13.55: The Slovenian-led peloton crossed the top of the climb 1 minute and 49 seconds behind Lergard.
The results of the second KOM prime are:
1, Lergard
2, Glenn Bak (Scandinavia Bianchi Nordic)
3, Mikael Segarsall (Scandinavia Bianchi Nordic)
4, Massimo Demarin (Slovenia Perutnina Ptuj)
5, Anthony Malarczyk
6, Winn
7, Nally
14.06: Lergard is still clear. Nally and Simon Kelly (Cork Kanturk Credit Union) had set off in pursuit but after a few kilometres clear they were hauled back.
Lergard is on the final KOM climb of the day. He should take the points at the top before being caught…the gap is coming down now.
There are three chasers at 42 seconds, four more at 48 seconds and the main field at 58 seconds.
14.11: The field are still on the climb, a wide, wind exposed drag. Lergard is staying clear but will be caught.
Evans was trying to force a split with two other riders back in the main field. The yellow jersey tore across the gap, but as he did so a big crash took down about ten riders at the front of the peloton.
McCann and Lynch were amongst several riders who went clear in pursuit of the Bonca group. There has been a general regrouping up front.
14.15: Lergard has been caught just after the top of the climb.
14.16: No word on which, if any, of the favourites went down.
Mobile coverage has been poor again…bear with us.
14.22: Massimo Demarin is eleven seconds clear at the moment. The riders are on big, open roads, heading through Glenflesk (125 kilometres). We are inside the final 30 kilometres.
14.25: Demarin has 21 seconds….
Evans and Jamie Norfolk (Wales – Stena Line) are trying to go clear. No joy, they are reeled in by the Slovenian riders.
Just heard that O’Loughlin wasn’t involved in the crash. We saw a green jersey go down – it was Moriarty, who is back up and running after getting a spare bike. He’s about to rejoin the peloton.
14.29: Coverage really has been poor so thanks for your patience! As the race heads east again over the next couple of stages it should improve considerably. It’s very frustrating as updates have been written but can’t be posted.
The leader is 25 seconds clear.
14.35: Two riders have bridged across to the leader; the first was Kevin Dawson (Yorkshire – Murphy and Gunn), and then local rider Denis Lynch of the Ireland – Thornton’s Recycling team. The bunch initially tried to close Lynch down but has now stalled…they three leaders have 32 seconds….
14.37: Lynch started today 46 seconds off yellow. He has 32 seconds now, but the Slovenian team are trying to get back on terms.
14.41: The Slovenian team are getting no assistance from the rest of the bunch. Lynch is pulling further away – could be yellow jersey on the road now.
14.44: Could be a dream homecoming for Lynch, who is normally based in Marseille. The two leaders are now 52 seconds clear….he’s in yellow at the moment…..
14.46: Now 56 seconds ahead……
14.49: There is a lot of attacking going on behind, so it seems like the Slovenian team may have cracked….
14.50: Mobile coverage seems to be back….fingers crossed it will hold. The roads are more open now so hopefully that is a good sign.
14.51: With eleven kilometres to go, Lynch has 52 seconds. That puts him in yellow by six seconds. Even if this is reduced by the line, he should take time back from Bonca. Will be interesting to see if any of the other contenders try to clip away from the main field.
14.52: With ten kilometres to go the gap is 49 seconds…..it’s going to be tight….
The Kazakh team are those chasing now.
14.54: Lynch, Dawson and Demarin are now just 45 seconds clear.
14.55: Dawson has attacked and gone clear…he has 49 seconds on the peloton with the other two riders 42 seconds up.
Dawson is the BBAR (British Best All Rounder) champion so he certain knows how to guage a solo effort...will be hard to get him back.
14.57: The gap is coming down. Dawson has 43 seconds while Lynch and Demarin have now just 36. Can they stay away? The riders are coming up to the 5 k to go point.
15.00: Dawson is 16 seconds up on the two chasers and 42 seconds ahead of the main group. Lynch is now 26 seconds ahead of the yellow jersey group, which are going very quickly.
15.04: The two chasers have been caught. Dawson has 11 seconds…nearly at the finish…
15.07: He’s been caught…bunch finish?
The bunch are all together heading in towards Millstreet…there is a sweeping downhill run and then a slight uphill drag to the line, will make the sprint tricky.
Still together with 1 k to go…..
And here they come! Big, big group coming in, they are all fighting hard for position. Tommy Evans is up there but is a few bikes back in the gallop…..
Malcolm Elliott wins! The former Tour of Spain points winner takes his first ever stage of the FBD Milk Ras, improving on his second place last year and third place earlier this week..
No word yet on the other placings…will have them to you asap….
There should be no change in the overall classification. Hard luck to Lynch, who gave it a good go near the end.
15.27: Provisional placings are as follows:
1, Malcolm Elliott (Team Murphy and Gunn)
2, Brian Ahern (Dublin Orwell Dundrum SC)
3, Paul Griffin (Kerry)
4, Tjarco Cuppens (Germany ComNet Senges)
5, Graham Briggs (Great Britain Under 23)
6, Michael Schweizer (Germany ComNet Senges)
7, Tommy Evans (Ireland - Thorton's Recycling)
8, Evan Oliphant (Great Britain Under 23)
9, Adrian Hedderman (Cork Kanturk Credit Union)
10, Aidan Crowley (Meath Lee Strand) all same time
There is no change to the overall classification. Elliott now moves past McCann in the points while Lergard is well clear in the mountains competition.
Thank you for viewing live coverage... Mobile reception should improve from here on in so hopefully no more delays....
Terry Dolan world class bikes, bringing the 2004 FBD Milk Ras live to you
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(Thanks also to Ravens CRT for technical assistance)
Check out the Official Event Website - www.fbdmilkras.com
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