Irish rider Stephen Gallagher had a strong result in his first month with the Giant Asia Racing team, placing an excellent third overall in the Tour of Thailand on Sunday.
The 2.2 ranked event was won by Marco Polo rider Fuyu Li, who finished 5 seconds ahead of another Giant Asia rider, Hossein Askari. Gallagher was 1 minute and 33 seconds behind. His team-mates David McCann and Paul Griffin were 11th and 22nd overall, 9 minutes and 1 second and 10 minutes 31 seconds back respectively.
Gallagher’s strong result comes despite a bad fall in the recent Tour of Siam which left him with a damaged back.
Tour of Thailand, Thailand (2.2)
Stage 5 - January 28: Nakhon Ratchasima - Khao Hin Son:
1, Edmund Hollands (Perth) 198.17 kilometres in 4 hours 26 mins 21 secs
2, Ahmad Lutfi MD.Fauzan (Malaysia)
3, Sung Baek Park (Korea)
4, Se Yong Oh (Korea)
5, Mohd. Zahit Mohd.Sayuti (Malaysia)
6, Hilton McMurdo (Perth) all same time
Other:
28, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing) same time
David McCann (Giant Asia Racing)
Paul Griffin (Giant Asia Racing)
- Also finished stage, but available results incomplete
Stage 6 - January 29: Pattaya – Suvannabhumi:
1, Sung Baek Park (Korea) 112.5 kilometres in 2 hours 45 mins 51 secs
2, Se Yong Oh (Korea)
3, Edmund Hollands (Perth)
4, Lex Nederlof (De Ysselstreek)
5, Anuawar Ahmad Haidar (Letua Malaysia)
6, Yevgeniy Yakovlev (Polygon Sweet Nice) all same time
Other :
18, Paul Griffin (Giant Asia Racing)
44, Gallagher, same time
McCann also finished – results incomplete
Final general classification
1, Fuyu Li (Marco Polo) 22 hours 11 mins 22 secs
2, Hossein Askari (Giant Asia Racing) at 5 secs
3, Stephen Gallagher (Giant Asia Racing) at 1 min 33 secs
4, Won Jae Lee (Korea) at 1 min 59 secs
5, Kuan-Hua Lai (Chinese Taipei) at 2.14
6, Brad Hall (Perth) at 2 mins 39 secs9
Other:
11, David McCann (Giant Asia Racing) at 9 mins 1 sec
22, Paul Griffin (Giant Asia Racing) at 10 mins 31 secs
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27/1/06 MCCANN TAKES SECOND STAGE WIN, IRISH RIDING WELL
Giant Asia riders David McCann, Paul Griffin and Stephen Gallagher have been performing strongly in the 2.2 ranked Tour of Thailand. McCann won both the prologue time trial on Tuesday and the fourth stage today, while Gallagher is third overall. Griffin placed third on stage two of the six-day race.
McCann got things underway when he scorched to victory in the opening five kilometre prologue from Ching Mai to Huay Troung Toa. He completed the distance in 6 minutes and 32 seconds, some 4 seconds quicker than team-mate Daniel Lloyd and a further six faster than Australian Edmund Hollands. Gallagher was fourth, 17 seconds back.
McCann successfully defended the race lead on the 204.6 kilometre second stage from Lampang to Sukhothai. Korean rider Sung Baek Park won the sprint for the stage win, while Hollands second and Griffin third. It was Gallaghers turn to take a third place the following day, the Northern rider finishing 1 minute and 36 seconds behind Fuyu Li (Marco Polo) and Hossein Askari (Giant Asia) at the end of the 198.2 kilometre stage to Chaiyaphum.
Li took over at the top with Askari five seconds back. Gallagher moved up two places to third, 1 minute and 33 seconds off the race lead, while McCann dropped out of the top five in the general classification.
However the Irish time trial champion bounced back earlier today, outsprinting Robin Reid (Marco Polo), Won Jae Lee (Korea) and several others to win the marathon 221.7 kilometre stage from Lomsak to Chaiyaphum. Gallagher remained third overall, although he moved a second closer to Li’s leader’s jersey.
The race continues tomorrow with a 198.2 kilometre stage to Khao Hin Son, and concludes on Sunday with a 112.5 kilometre leg to Suvannabhumi.
The strong showing by the three Irish riders increases the likelihood of them being selected by Giant Asia for the 2.HC Tour de Langkawi, which begins next Friday.