GALLAGHER, MCCANN TOP FIVE OVERALL IN TAIWAN

Stephen Gallagher finished an excellent second overall in the Tour de Taiwan on Saturday, ending the 2.2 ranked event 1 minute and 20 seconds behind Kirk O’Bee (Health Net Maxxis). His Giant Asia team-mate David McCann was a fine fifth, 6 minutes and 45 seconds behind O’Bee.

Gallagher was also second overall in the King of the Mountains classification, racking up six points as compared to the eight scored by Yasutaka Tashiro (Japan National Team). Their Giant Asia team finished third overall in the teams classification.

Gallagher had started Friday’s sixth stage 39 seconds behind O’Bee. However the latter got clear in a small group and came home 32 seconds behind the solo winner Tashiro, while both Gallagher and McCann finished in a five man chase group a further 35 seconds back.

The concluding Taipei Municipal Government criterium came down to a bunch sprint. Here the honours went to Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche), who also won stages one, two and three. O’Bee was second, while Gallagher and McCann were 27th and 30th.

The duo will now continue their preparation for the Commonwealth Games, which begins in Melbourne this month. The time trial is on March 21st while the road race is on the 26th. Track events run from the 16th until the 19th, and the MTB event is on the 23rd.


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Tour de Taiwan (2.2)

Stage 6 - March 10, Yilang-Yangming Mountain National Park, 110.3 km

1, Yasutaka Tashiro (Japan National Team) 110.3 kilometres in 2 hours 58 mins 6 secs
2, Darren Lapthorne (Drapac Porsche) at 22 secs
3, Takumi Beppu (Japan National Team) at 29 secs
4, Roman Bronis (Dukla Trencin) at 32 secs
5, Kirk O’Bee (Health Net Presented By Maxxis)
6, Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) both same time

Irish :

16, David McCann (Giant Asia Racing Team) at 1 min 7 secs
19 Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing Team) same time


Stage 7 - March 11: Taipei Municipal Government Criterium

1, Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) 60 kilometres in 1 hour 22 mins 49 secs
2, O’Bee
3, Hubert Nowak (MBK-Cycles-Scout)
4, Tomasz Lesniak (MBK-Cycles-Scout)
5, Stuart Shaw (Drapac Porsche)
6, Sama'i Sama'i (Wismilak International Team) all same time

Other:

27, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing Team)
30, David McCann (Giant Asia Racing Team) both same time



Sprints:

Sprint 8 of 11, finishing line of Lap 40, 40km:

1, Jan Sipeky (Dukla Trencin) 3 pts
2, Kenghsien Chen (Chinese Taipei CKT) 2
3, David McCann (Giant Asia Racing Team) 1


Final General classification:

1, Kirk O’Bee (Health Net Presented By Maxxis) 19 hours 13 mins 41 secs
2, Gallagher, at 1 min 20 secs
3, McLachlan, at 4 mins 30 secs
4, Jeff Louder (Health Net Presented By Maxxis) at 5 mins 50 secs
5, McCann, at 6 mins 45 secs
6, Kan San Wu (Hong Kong Team) at 7 mins 19 secs

Points classification :

1, Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) 111 pts
2, O’Bee, 86
3, Michael Schweizer (Ruiter Dakkapellen Wieler Team) 51

Other:

19, Gallagher, 18
28, McCann, 14


Mountains classification:

1, Yasutaka Tashiro (Japan National Team) 8 pts
2, Gallagher, 6
3, Darren Lapthorne (Drapac Porsche) 6

Teams classification:

1, Health Net Presented By Maxxis, 57 hours 53 mins 7 secs
2, Japan National Team, at 5 mins 39 secs
3, Giant Asia Racing Team, at 10 mins 49 secs


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9/3/06 GALLAGHER UP TO SECOND OVERALL IN TAIWAN


Stephen Gallagher has continued to impress in the Tour de Taiwan, jumping from tenth to second overall today. The Giant Asia rider finished 9th on the 138.6 kilometre stage at Liyu Lake, wheeling in 13 seconds behind the day’s winner and new overall leader Kirk O’Bee (Health Net Maxxis). Gallagher’s group were sprinting for third place.

The Northern Ireland rider is 39 seconds behind O’Bee in the overall standings, and a full 4 minutes and 3 seconds ahead of the next rider, overnight leader Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche). Gallagher continues to lead the King of the Mountains classification.

The day was less satisfying for his team-mate David McCann, who finished as part of the main bunch, some 6 minutes and 12 seconds behind O’Bee. He consequently dropped from third to seventh overall and is now 6 minutes and 5 seconds down.

The 2.2 ranked race continues tomorrow with a 110.3 kilometre stage from Yilang to Yangming Mountain National Park. Both Gallagher and McCann will compete in the Commonwealth Games later this month.



Tour de Taiwan (2.2), March 5-11:

Stage 5, Liyu Lake Circuit:

1, Kirk O'Bee (Health Net - Maxxis) 138.6 kilometres in 3 hours 5 mins 25 secs (44.85 km/h)
2, Kazuyuki Manabe (Japan National Team) at 10 secs
3, Roman Bronis (Dukla Trencin) at 13 secs
4, Budi Santoso (Polygon Sweet Nice Team)
5, Matnur (Wismilak International Team)
6, Kai Tsun Lam (Hong Kong Team) all same time

Irish:

9, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing Team) same time
30, David McCann (Giant Asia Racing Team) at 6 minutes and 12 secs


General classification after stage 5:

1, Kirk O'Bee (Health Net - Maxxis) 14 hours 52 mins 20 secs
2, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing Team) at 39 secs
3, Robert McLachlan (Aus) Drapac Porsche) at 4 mins 42 secs
4, Kai Tsun Lam (Hong Kong Team) at 4 mins 49 secs
5, Jeff Louder (Health Net - Maxxis)
6, Garrett Peltonen (Health Net - Maxxis) at 5 mins 25 secs

Other:

7, McCann, at 6 mins 5 secs


Points classification:

1 Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) 77 pts
2 Kirk O'Bee (Health Net - Maxxis) 61
3 Maros Kovac (Dukla Trencin) 45

Other:

13, Gallagher, 18
19, McCann, 13


Mountains classification:

1, Stephen Gallagher, 6 pts
2, Dennis Leliveld (Ruiter Dakkapellen Wieler Team) 3
3, Kan San Wu (Hong Kong Team) 2

Teams classification

1, Health Net – Maxxis, 44 hours 47 mins 46 secs
2, Japan National Team, at 6 mins 7 secs
3, Giant Asia Racing Team, at 10 mins 22 secs


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8/3/06 GIANT ASIA DUO IMPRESS IN TAIWAN

Giant Asia riders David McCann and Stephen Gallagher have been riding strongly in the Tour of Taiwan, the Irish duo lying 3rd and 10th overall after four stages of the 2.2 ranked event. Gallagher is also leading the King of the Mountains classification.

The race began on Sunday with a 66 kilometre criterium in Kaohsiung. The day’s chief honours went to Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche), ahead of Kirk O’Bee (Health Net). Gallagher and McCann finished in the same time, crossing the line 23rd and 26th respectively.

McLachlan and O’Bee were again the first two past the line on the following day’s 74.4 kilometre Chenqing Lake Criterium. McCann and Gallagher were part of this main bunch, placing 36th and 38th.

Having shown his short distance speed, McLachlan proved he could handle longer road stages as well when he continued his dominance 24 hours later in the 220.2 kilometres road race starting and finishing in Taidong. McCann placed an excellent third, 41 seconds behind, while Gallagher was a further 30 seconds back in sixth. He won both the day’s climb and raced into the lead in the King of the Mountains classification.

Today’s fourth stage finally saw a new rider at the top of the podium. Yasutaka Tashiro (Japan National Team) was first at the end of the 156 kilometre leg from Taidong to Liyu Lake. Two other riders were within a minute of him, while McLachlan brought home the main bunch 1 minute and 11 seconds behind Tashiro, retaining his overall lead. Gallagher and McCann were 19th and 21st respectively, and ended the day third and tenth overall. Their Giant Asia squad is third in the teams classification.

The race continues tomorrow with the 64 kilometre Liyu Lake Criterium.


Tour de Taiwan (2.2), March 5-11:

Stage 1 - March 5: Kaohsiung Criterium:

1, Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) 66 kilometres in 1 hour 27 mins 28 secs
2, Kirk O’Bee (Health Net Presented By Maxxis) same time
3, Hwa Chien Hung-Hsu (Chinese Taipei CKT) at 1 sec
4, Tjarco Cuppens (Ruiter Dakkapellen Wieler Team)
5, Lex Nederlof (Ruiter Dakkapellen Wieler Team)
6, Maros Kovac (Dukla Trencin) all same time

Irish:

23, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing Team)
26, David McCann (Giant Asia Racing Team) both same time


Stage 2 - March 6: Chenqing Lake Criterium:

1, Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) 74.4 kilometres in 1 hour 2 mins 57 secs
2, Kirk O’Bee (Health Net Presented By Maxxis
3, Maros Kovac (Dukla Trencin)
4, Makoto Iijima (Japan National Team)
5, Michael Schweizer (Ruiter Dakkapellen Wieler Team)
6, Wawan Setyobudi (Wismilak International Team) all same time

Other:

36, McCann
38, Gallagher, both same time


Stage 3 - March 7: TaiDong-East Coast-Taidong:

1, Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) 220.2 kilometres in 5 hours 19 mins 2 secs
2, Garrett Peltonen (Health Net Presented By Maxxis) at 3 secs
3, David McCann (Giant Asia Racing Team) at 41 secs
4, Michael Schweizer (Ruiter Dakkapellen Wieler Team) at 1 min 8 secs
5, Kirk O’Bee (Health Net Presented By Maxxis) at 1 min 11 secs
6, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing Team) same time

Mountains:

Yu Li Radio Station - Cat. 4, km 94.1:

1, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing Team) 3 pts
2, Kazuyuki Manabe (Japan National Team) 2
3, Vyacheslav Dyadichkin (Polygon Sweet Nice Team) 1

Tewulin Rest Area - Cat. 4, km 106.5:

1, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing Team) 3 pts
2, Kan San Wu (Hong Kong Team) 2
3, Maros Kovac (Dukla Trencin) 1


Stage 4 - March 8: Taidong- Liyu Lake, 156 km

1, Yasutaka Tashiro (Japan National Team) 156 kilometres in 3 hours 55 mins 32 secs
2, Hari Fitrianto (Polygon Sweet Nice Team) at 30 secs
3, Tonton Susanto (Wismilak International Team) at 42 secs
4, Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) at 1 min 11 secs
5, Lex Nederlof (Ruiter Dakkapellen Wieler Team)
6, Hugo Gootjes (Ruiter Dakkapellen Wieler Team) both same time

Other:

19, Gallagher
21, McCann, both same time


General classification after stage 4

1, Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) 11 hours 45 mins 25 secs
2, Garrett Peltonen (Health Net Presented By Maxxis) at 43 secs
3, David McCann (Giant Asia Racing Team) at 1 min 23 secs
4, Kirk O’Bee (Health Net Presented By Maxxis) at 1 min 44 secs
5, Kazuya Okazaki (Japan National Team) at 1 min 45 secs
6, Maros Kovac (Dukla Trencin) at 1 min 46 secs

Other:

10, Gallagher, at 1 min 57 secs

Points classification

1, Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) 77 pts
2, Maros Kovac (Dukla Trencin) 45
3, Kirk O’Bee (Health Net Presented By Maxxis) 39

Other:

15, McCann, 13
23, Gallagher, 10


Mountains classification:

1, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing Team) 6 pts
2, Dennis Leliveld (Ruiter Dakkapellen Wieler Team) 3
3, Kan San Wu (Hong Kong Team) 2


Teams classification:

1, Japan National Team, 35 hours 25 mins 4 secs
2, Health Net Presented By Maxxis, at 2 secs
3, Giant Asia Racing Team, at 4 mins 12 secs