Roger Aiken
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There was both satisfaction and heartache for Irish rider Roger Aiken on today’s third stage of the Tour of Britain. The Banbridge cyclist crossed the line a fine tenth on the stage, just 11 seconds behind the day’s winner Luca Paolini of the QuickStep team and Bram Schmitz (T-Mobile).
Belgium-based Aiken had been one of thirteen riders who went clear inside the first ten kilometres of the stage, building up an insurmountable lead over the main bunch. He rode courageously on the day’s climbs but was tailed off on the first category ascents of Holme Moss and Snake Pass. On both instances he rode hard to regain contact, and did so again when he faded on the final climb of the day.
Morgan Fox
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However, after the finish both he and Ireland team manger Morgan Fox were disqualified from the race after a official reported that the rider had been holding onto his team car during his chase back on. Both protested their innocence, filing an ultimately unsuccessful appeal to the decision.
“It is absolute nonsense,” said a livid Fox afterwards. “Roger did a great ride today, really rode well for a young guy breaking through. They claimed that Roger hung onto a bottle for 15 seconds when he was chasing back on. He got a bottle from the team car, sure enough, but was holding it on a descent for about two seconds. That’s absolutely normal in cycling, everyone does it and it is normally tolerated. He got no real help from it, especially as he was descending at the time.”
“The only reason they have taken an issue with it is because we are a small team. In fact, the person who reported it wasn’t even a commissaire – he was the guy on the bike with the blackboard. There were riders from the top pro teams being dragged up the climbs by their team cars, all sorts of irregularities going on, but nothing was done about that. The commissaries want to target someone but won’t do it to the big names in the race.”
“When we went into the commissaire meeting, we appealed against the severity of the decision,” Fox continued. “There has been sticky bottle throughout the race, and riders actually holding onto their cars and being dragged up the climb. A guy was towing the other day and only got a warning, because he’s a big shot.”
“We appealed the decision and were amazed that they didn’t change it. I was shocked, it was like a lynch mob in there. Besides coming out with the nonsense that he was hanging onto a bottle for 400 yards, it was also claimed that he did the same going over the top of a climb. That is a total lie. What happened to Roger is very wrong. He did a great ride but got this instead.”
David McCann came home 4 minutes and 26 seconds down and was officially listed as the best Irish rider in 19th. He is now 44th overall. “I messed up a little bit,” he said. “I was not so interested in the general classification as I missed out on the big break on the first day. Jeremy Hunt was getting dropped and as he was in the points jersey, I thought I’d give him a bit of a hand. The last climb wasn’t listed as categorised and I dropped back at the wrong moment, being caught out when the attacks went. It was a silly mistake.” McCann, too, thought that Aiken had been treated very harshly.
The leading Irish rider overall, Ciarán Power, finished 6 minutes and 3 seconds behind Paolini and is now 27th overall. Ryan Connor (Driving Force Logistics), Tommy Evans and Ireland team-mate Paul Griffin also finished in the same time, while Eugene Moriarty, Paul Healion (Driving Force Logistics) and Paídi O’Brien each finished 12 minutes and 59 seconds down.
Nick Nuyens (QuickStep) holds onto the lead going into tomorrow’s 184.2 kilometre stage to Nottingham, having resisted all attacks by closest rival Michael Blaudzun of Team CSC. They remain 7 seconds apart from each other in GC.
* see full report on www.cyclingnews.com
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Tour of Britain (2.1)
Stage 3 - September 1: Leeds – Sheffield:
1, Luca Paolini (Quick.Step) 167.5 kilometres in 4 hours 27 mins 24 secs
2, Bram Schmitz (T-Mobile) same time
3, Russell Downing (Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed) at 2 secs
4, Tony Bracke (Landbouwkrediet Colnago)
5, Ryan Cox (Barloworld – Valsir)
6, Julian Winn (Wales) all same time
7, Jose Luis Martinez Jiminez (Comunidad Valenciana) at 8 secs
8, Dean Downing (Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed) at 10 secs
9, Wesley Van der Linden (Chocolade Jacques T-Interim) at 11 secs
10, Geraint Thomas (Great Britain) at 1 min 5 secs
Irish:
19, David McCann (Team Ireland) at 4 mins 26 secs
53, Ciarán Power (Navigators Insurance) at 6 mins 3 secs
56, Ryan Connor (Driving Force Logistics)
57, Tommy Evans (Team Ireland)
58, Paul Griffin (Team Ireland) all same time
75, Eugene Moriarty (Team Ireland) at 12 mins 59 secs
76, Paul Healion (Driving Force Logistics)
78, Paídi O’Brien (Team Ireland) all same time
Bonus sprint, Otley (19.5 km):
1, Eric Baumann (T-Mobile) 5 pts/3 secs
2, G. Thomas, 3 pts/2 secs
3, R. Downing, 2 pts/1 sec
4, Van der Linden, 1 pt
Bonus sprint, Huddersfield (89.9 km) :
1, Geraint Thomas, 5 pts/3 secs
2, Martinez Jiminez, 3 pts/2 secs
3, D. Downing, 2 pts/1 sec
4, Cox, 1 pt
Bonus sprint, Millstone Edge (152.8 km):
1, Jose Luis Martinez Jiminez, 5 pts/3 secs
2, Schmitz, 3 pts/2 secs
3, Van der Linden, 2 pts/1 sec
4, R. Downing, 1 pt
Category 2, Cow and Calf (31.9 km):
1, Julian Winn, 6 pts
2, Cox, 5
3, R. Downing, 4
4, Van der Linden, 3
5, D. Downing, 2
6, Martinez Jiminez, 1
Category 2, Oxenhope (59.4 km):
1, Winn, 6
2, Cox, 5
3, Martinez Jimenez, 4
4, Paolini, 3
5, Thomas, 2
6, Van der Linden
Category 1, Holme Moss (106.2 km):
1, Winn, 10
2, Cox, 8
3, Martinez Jimenez, 6
4, Paolini, 5
5, Schmitz, 4
6, Van der Linden, 3
7, R. Downing, 2
8, Thomas, 1
Category 1, Snake Pass (127.4 km):
1, Winn, 10
2, Cox, 8
3, Paolini, 6
4, Schmitz, 5
5, Martinez Jiminez, 4
6, Van der Linden, 3
7, R. Downing, 2
8, Bracke, 1
British rider: R. Downing
Team:
1, Recycling.co.uk, 13 hours 27 mins 40 secs
2, QuickStep-Innergetic, at 2 mins 38 secs
3, Landbouwkrediet Colnago, at 2 mins 40 secs
General Classification:
1, Nick Nuyens (QuickStep – Innergetic) 8 hours 23 mins 18 secs
2, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) at 7 secs
3, Javier Cherro Molina (Comunidad Valenciana) at 10 secs
4, Bert de Waele (Landbouwkrediet Colnago) at 16 secs
5, Phil Zajicek (Naviagators Insurance) at 19 secs
6, Ben Day (MrBookmaker.com) same time
7, Frederick Veuchelen (Chocolade Jacques) at 22 secs
8, Yanto Barker (DFL Driving Force Logistics) at 1 min 3 secs
9, Michael Rogers (QuickStep – Innergetic) at 1 min 4 secs
7, both same time
10, Erwin Thijs (MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech) at 1 min 5 secs
Irish:
27, Power, at 4 mins 45 secs
44, McCann, at 23 mins 27 secs
62, Griffin, at 25 mins 4 secs
68, Connor
69, Evans, both same time
83, O’Brien, at 32 mins
86, Moriarty, same time
90, Healion, at 33 mins
Points:
1, Paolini, 27
2, Jeremy Hunt (MrBookmaker.com) 23
3, Cherro Molina, 21
Mountains :
1, Julian Winn, 32
2, Cox, 26
3, Martinez Jiminez, 15
Sprints :
1, Eric Baumann (T-Mobile) 18
2, Roger Hammond (Great Britain), 15
2, Cherro Molina, 11
Team:
1, QuickStep Inntergetic, 38 hours 42 mins 6 secs
2, Communidad Valenciana, at 16 secs
3, T-Mobile, at 59 secs
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31/8/05 TOUR OF BRITAIN; HAMMOND WINS, GRIFFIN BEST IRISH RIDER
Great Britain rider Roger Hammond won the second stage of the Tour of Britain today, outsprinting breakaway companion Rob Sharman (Recycling.co.uk) at the end of the 162 kilometre stage to Blackpool. The two had gone clear with Kevin Van Impe (Chocolade Jacques) within the first 20 kilometres of racing, but the latter lost out on his chance of taking the stage when he punctured with five kilometres remaining.
Team Ireland’s Paul Griffin was best placed of the Irish riders on the stage, the Kerry rider coming home as part of the main bunch in 36th place. Roger Aiken (51st), Paídi O’Brien (59th), Tommy Evans (69th), Paul Healion (69th), Ciarán Power (73rd), Eugene Moriarty (76th), David McCann (77th) and Ryan Connor (80th) also finished in the same time.
Yesterday’s winner Nick Nuyens (QuickStep) was caught behind a crash at the end and lost time. However, as the mishap occurred during the final three kilometres, race judges awarded all those affected the same time as third placed rider Mark Cavendish (Great Britain). Nuyens therefore carries his yellow jersey into today’s mountain stage from Leeds to Sheffield.
Some of the Irish riders in the race were also affected by the spill. “The speed was very high for the last two hours,” said O’Brien. “It was very fast. It was very dangerous, too. About ten fellows fell off on the corner with about a kilometre and a half to go. It screwed up our chances, Tommy [Evans] was moving up for Eugune [Moriarty] and Paul Griffin. There was a split, then, and we couldn’t close it. But the stage was good, we will see again tomorrow how we get on. That is the big stage.”
Ciarán Power remains best placed of the Irish overall. He is 31st, 2 minutes and 21 seconds behind Nuyens heading into tomorrow’s mountain stage to Sheffield.
Tour of Britain (2.1)
Stage 2, Carliste – Blackpool:
1, Roger Hammond (Great Britain) 162.3 kilometres in 3 hours 58 mins 48 secs
2, Robin Sharman (Recycling.co.uk) at 5 secs
3, Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) at 10 secs
4, Luca Paolini (QuickStep – Innergetic)
5, Eric Baumann (T-Mobile)
6, Jeremy Hunt (MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech)
7, Javier Cherro Molina (Comunidad Valenciana)
8, Lars Michaelsen (Team CSC)
9, Takehiro Mizutani (Bridgestone Anchor)
10, James Vanlandschoot (Landbouwkrediet Colnago) all same time
Irish:
36, Paul Griffin (Ireland) same time
51, Roger Aiken (Ireland)
59, Paídi O’Brien (Ireland)
65, Tommy Evans (Ireland)
69, Paul Healion (DFL Driving Force Logistics)
73, Ciarán Power (Navigators Insurance)
76, Eugene Moriarty (Ireland)
77, David McCann (Ireland)
80, Ryan Connor (DFL Driving Force Logistics)
Best British rider: Hammond
Intermediate sprint, Shap, 39.5 km:
1, Roger Hammond (Discovery Channel) 5 pts/3 secs
2, Rob Sharman (Recycling.co.uk) 3 pts/2 secs
3, Kevin Van Impe (Chocolade Jacques) 2 pts/1 sec
4, Eric Baumann (T-Mobile) 1 pt
Intermediate sprint, Kendal, 63.7 km:
1, Hammond, 5 pts/3 secs
2, Sharman, 3 pts/2 secs
3, Van Impe, 2 pts/1 sec
4, Baumann, 1 pt
Intermediate sprint, Hornby, 96.5 km:
1, Hammond, 5 pts/3 secs
2, Van Impe, 3 pts/2 secs
3, Sharman, 2 pts/1 sec
4, Baumann, 1 pt
KOH at Shap Fells, Cat 2 - 48.9 km:
1, Rob Sharman, 6 pts
2, Van Impe, 5
3, Hammond, 4
4, Ben Day (MrBookmaker.com), 3
5, Antonio Menacho Olmo (Comunidad Valenciana) 2
6, Ciarán Power (Navigators Insurance) 1
KOH at Blease Hill, Cat 2 - 76.4 km:
1, Rob Sharman, 6
2, Van Impe, 5
3, Hammond4,
4, Day, 3
5, Olmo Menacho, 2
6, Paul Griffin (Ireland) 1
Team stage classification:
1, Great Britain, 11 hours 56 mins 44 secs
2, Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed, at 5 secs
3, QuickStep – Innergetic, at 10 secs
General Classification:
1, Nick Nuyens (QuickStep – Innergetic) 8 hours 23 mins 18 secs
2, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) at 7 secs
3, Javier Cherro Molina (Comunidad Valenciana) at 10 secs
4, Jeremy Hunt (MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech) at 11 secs
5, Yanto Barker (DFL Driving Force Logistics) at 16 secs
6, Michael Rogers (QuickStep – Innergetic)
7, Bert de Waele (Landbouwkrediet Colnago) both same time
8, Tom Southam (Barloworld – Valsir) at 17 secs
9, Peter Mazur (Navigators Insurance)
10, Erwin Thijs (MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech) both same time
Irish:
31, Ciarán Power (Navigators Insurance) at 2 mins 21 secs
56, Griffin, at 22 mins 40 secs
68, O’Brien
70, Aiken
73, Healion
77, McCann
82, Evans
83, Connor
84, Moriarty, all same time
Points:
1, Jeremy Hunt (MrBookmaker.com) 23
2, Blaudzun, 17
3, Cherro Molina, 16
Mountains :
1, Rob Sharman, 12
2, Van Impe, 10
3, Day, 8
Sprints :
1, Roger Hammond, 15
2, Baumann, 13
3, Cherro Molina, 11
Team:
1, MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech, 25 hours 10 mins 45 secs
2, QuickStep – Innergetic, at 1 min 3 secs
3, T-Mobile, at 1 min 10 secs
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30/8/05
POWER 30TH ON STAGE ONE OF TOUR OF BRITAIN
Navigators Insurance professional Ciarán Power was best placed of the nine Irish riders competing in today’s opening stage of the Tour of Britain in Scotland, the Waterford rider coming home in 30th place.
The 29 year old was part of a 35 man group which went clear just after ten of the 184 kilometres had elapsed. The break drove the pace in strong crosswinds and opening up a lead of over 20 minutes by the end.
The other eight riders in the race – David McCann, Paul Griffin, Eugene Moriarty, Tommy Evans, Paídi O’Brien, Roger Aiken (all Team Ireland), Paul Healion and Ryan Connor (both DFL Driving Force Logistics) were stranded in the peloton and have lost any chance of a high overall placing.
The first yellow jersey of the race went to Het Volk winner Nick Nuyens (Quick.Step), who outsprinted Team CSC’s Michael Blaudzun inside the final 300 metres of the stage. The promising 25 year old Belgian had gone clear with the Danish veteran on the final climb of the day, and the two held a slender advantage over a 17 man chase group all the way to the line. British rider Jeremy Hunt got his MrBookmaker.com team to chase but had to be content with third on the stage, finishing just 1 seconds behind Blaudzun.
The Tour of Britain continues tomorrow with a stage from Carlisle to Blackpool. The riders continue to make their way south, passing over the lumpy, leg sapping roads of the Lake District and taking in two categorised climbs along the way. Power’s finishing speed means that he will be aiming for a high placing should the stage end in a sprint, while one or more of the other Irish riders may try to get clear during the 162.3 kilometre race.
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Tour of Britain, stage 1 (Glasgow – Castle Douglas):
1, Nick Nuyens (QuickStep – Innergetic) 184.2 kilometres in 4 hours 24 mins 32 secs
2, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) at 2 secs
3, Jeremy Hunt (MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech) at 3 secs
4, Michael Rogers (QuickStep – Innergetic) at 4 secs
5, Bert de Waele (Landbouwkrediet Colnago)
6, Yanto Barker (DFL Driving Force Logistics) both same time
7, Erwin Thijs (MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech) at 5 secs
8, Bastiaan Giling (T-Mobile)
9, Javier Cherro Molina (Comunidad Valenciana)
10, Peter Mazur (Navigators Insurance) all same time
Irish:
30, Ciarán Power (Navigators Insurance) at 2 mins 9 secs
68, David McCann (Team Ireland) at 22 mins 28 secs
69, Paul Healion (DFL Driving Force Logistics)
71, Paídi O’Brien (Team Ireland)
73, Ryan Connor (DFL Driving Force Logistics)
76, Paul Griffin (Team Ireland)
79, Eugene Moriarty (Team Ireland)
80, Roger Aiken (Team Ireland)
88, Tommy Evans (Team Ireland) all same time
Intermediate sprint, Cumnock (53.1 km):
1, Javier Cherro Molina (Comunidad Valenciana) 5 pts/3 secs
2, Tom Southam (Barloworld Valsir) 3 pts/2 secs
3, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) 2 pts/1
4, Nick Nuyens (QuickStep-Innergetic) 1 pt
Internmediate sprint, Kirkconnel (73.9 km):
1, Eric Baumann (T-Mobile) 5 pts/3 secs
2, Tom Southam (Barloworld Valsir) 3 pts/2 secs
3, Nick Nuyens (QuickStep) 2 pts/1 sec
4, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) 1 pt
Intermediate sprint, Dumfries (131.1 km):
1, Eric Baumann (T-Mobile) 5 pts/3 secs
2, Cherro Molina, 3 pts/ 1 sec
3, Nick Nuyens, 2 pts/1 sec
4, Iljo Keisse (Chocolades Jacques T-Interim) 1 pt
King of the Mountains, Clonehead. (106.5 km):
1, Bert de Waele (Landbouwkrediet Colnago) 4 pts
2, Antonio Olm Menacho (Comunidad Valenciana) 3 pts
3, Ben Day (Mr Bookmeer.som) 2 pts
4, Tobias Steinhauser (T-Mobile) 1 pt
King of the Mountains, Craignair (175.8 km):
1, Nick Nuyens, 4 pts
2, M ichael Blaudzun, 3 pts
3, Jeremy Hunt, 2 pts
4, Troy Hilton Clarke (Navigators Insurance) 1 pt
Best British rider on stage: Hunt
Team:
1, MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech, 13 hours 13 mins 51 secs
2, QuickStep – Innergetic, at 1 min 3 secs
3, T-Mobile, at 1 min 10 secs
General Classification:
1, Nick Nuyens (QuickStep – Innergetic) 4 hours 24 mins 20 secs
2, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) at 7 secs
3, Jeremy Hunt (MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech) at 11 secs
4, Javier Cherro Molina (Comunidad Valenciana) at 12 secs
5, Tom Southam (Barloworld – Valsir) at 15 secs
6, Michael Rogers (QuickStep – Innergetic) at 16 secs
7, Bert de Waele (Landbouwkrediet Colnago)
8, Yanto Barker (DFL Driving Force Logistics) both same time
9, Erwin Thijs (MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech) at 17 secs
10, Bastiaan Giling (T-Mobile) same time
Irish:
30, Ciarán Power (Navigators Insurance) at 2 mins 21 secs
68, David McCann (Team Ireland) at 22 mins 40 secs
69, Paul Healion (DFL Driving Force Logistics)
71, Paídi O’Brien (Team Ireland)
73, Ryan Connor (DFL Driving Force Logistics)
76, Paul Griffin (Team Ireland)
79, Eugene Moriarty (Team Ireland)
80, Roger Aiken (Team Ireland)
88, Tommy Evans (Team Ireland) all same time
Points:
1, Nick Nuyens, 15
2, Blaudzun, 14
3, Hunt, 13
Mountains :
1, Nuyens, 4
2, de Waele, 4
3, Blaudzun, 3
3, Olmo Menacho, 3
Sprints :
1, Eric Baumann, 10
2, Cherro Molina, 8
3, Southam, 6
Team:
1, MrBookmaker.com – Sports Tech, 13 hours 13 mins 51 secs
2, QuickStep – Innergetic, at 1 min 3 secs
3, T-Mobile, at 1 min 10 secs