Philip Lavery formerly of EuroCycles and Winning Solutions is causing quiet a stir with his performances since his arrival at the beginning of the month in Belgium where he joined the LOOK Academy team. But like so many Irish sports people down through the years who failed to get recognition by the Irish Sports Council, he took matters into his own hands. "Other people maybe whinging about my lack of support from the sports council, but through family and friends who have supported me, I aim to repay their confidence in me and Sunday's result is the first step on the ladder," said Philip from his continental base.
On Sunday he took victory in the Kruiseke- Wervik Elite Under 23 race over 110kms in the town of Wevrik, West Flanders. "I was surprised with the win as I had been sick for the last number of days, but I had planned to start the race with my team. It was windy and the crosswinds made the initial splits. I had to ride hard to make the junction to the lead group of 10. Fortunately I was in the right place and when the sprint wound up with 200 meters to go I just gave it wellie and won the race," said Philip when I spoke to him yesterday.
Lavery was not one gifted with a grant from the Irish Sports Council this year, but he certainly has raised the stakes with this win.
Kruiseke- Wervik Elite Under 23
1 Philip Lavery (Look Academy),2hrs25mins.00;
2 PJ Cocquyt (SAEY Cycling Team);
3 Elliot Lietaer (Wielergrioep Bevern 2000 VZW).
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KERRY GROUP RAS MUMHAN 2010 - Race Preview
Press Release 5
453 Kilometers (283 miles) and 27 categorised climbs, await the 140 plus rider field from Ireland, England, Wales, Isle of Man, Holland, Turkey, & Germany, that will assemble on Good Friday, in Killorglin, for the KERRY GROUP RAS MUMHAN 4 day International cycle race. The race will visit the highways and byways of County Kerry , which will be seen at its magnificent best, with a brief visit to West Cork on Saturdays stage.. This will be a mighty contest and the Climb to the Healy Pass on Easter Saturday will be the only category one climb of the week end. There are 26 other climbs, the majority of these are category 4, 17 of them in all, with 10 of them coming in the last 40 km of the race , on Easter Monday, when the race goes on to the finishing circuit for 10 laps with a cat 4 K.O.M at the finish line each time. The King of the Mountains title may not be decided to the very finish.
Stage 1, Good Friday, Milltown & Glencar Stage, the 2nd part of the stage takes the field around Caragh Lake which is a new area . The stage end sponsor is The Corner House Bar in Cork City. The route is in the Mid Kerry area starting in Killorglin , on to Killarney, and into Farranfore. The race turns left here on to Firies Village, then Milltown and through Killorglin. Then its on the Glenbeigh road and left at the Red Fox Inn around the Lake finish back in Killorglin up the hill after 96km of racing. The stage starts at 3.30pm and expected finish at 6.pm
Stage 2, Starts in Killarney at 11am on Easter Saturday. The Healy Pass & Molls Gap Stage. It is our day to visit the Kenmare & West Cork area, a trip of 140 km (87 mls). Many of the most famous battles in the Ras Tailteann of old were fought out on the Healy Pass climb. On the way back from Glengarriffe we will take in the Caha Pass and the Tunnel road on to Kenmare again and on to finish on top of Molls Gap where surely the biggest crowd of the week end will await this unique finish. The stage end sponsor is Tile Choice in Killarney , and the winner should be there around 2.30pm.
Stage 3, Easter Sunday starts at 12 noon and is in South Kerry, a total of 142 km. Cahirsiveen Credit Union & Pauline Sugrue Auctioneers, are our stage end sponsors. There are 4 special primes on the route also, sponsored by friends of the Scully & Sugrue families who have a long association with cycle racing in this area. This is a great stage with the start & finish in Waterville . The race goes on a loop around St Finians Bay , through Cahirsiveen, on past the great Mick Murphy�s house, where there is a prime; Mick of course won the Ras Tailteann in 1958 and is known as the Iron Man. . The race comes all the way back to within 3km of the start when the riders will have covered 60km. Then it�s on the Ring of Kerry road again to a prime at Pauline Sugrue�s office. Then it�s left towards Portmagee, over the bridge on to the famous Valentia Island. There is another prime immediately after the bridge and a tough cat 2 climb after the race turns left at Chapletown.
Then it�s a loop of the Island and back over to the bridge. The race turns right at Anagar Bridge and on to the St Finian�s Bay area in reverse of the first part of the stage, where there are 2 climbs in quick succession the final climb is hard cat 2 is also the last prime of the day. Then with over 130km covered the race swings right for the final 10km to go to the finish, due at approx 3.40 pm.
Stage 4, Easter Monday has an early start at 10 am to give all plenty of time for the journey home. Killorglin is home of 2 more cycling greats from the Kingdom; Gene Mangan winner of the Ras Tailteann in 1953 and John Mangan in 1972. The route takes the race on the Killarney road as far as Fossa where the race swings left up to Aghadoe, on to Faha and Milltown where we go left and back to the bridge at Killorglin. There are 2 cat 4 climbs along the way and we do this loop twice. Then it�s on to the finishing circuit for 10 laps of what�s known as the Donal McKenna Circuit with the cat 4 climb on the line each time. The total distance is 114km, with the finish due at 1pm. Fexco who have a long association with the club in Killorglin and the race are the stage end sponsors.
140 riders to Start. A top class field will go to the line for the race. Clubs from Dublin, Wexford, Kildare, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Mayo, Waterford, Meath , Cork, Galway, Meath, Donegal ,
Kerry and an Irish U/23 development team will take on the foreign challenge. Last years winner Brian Kenneally is not listed to start , but there are 3 previous winners in the field.
Sean Lacey is the man of the moment and he will have most to fear from fellow Kerryman , Paul Griffin who has been 2nd ,3rd & 4th overall in recent years and the top of the podium is his goal. Daniel Clifford will carry the local hopes and he lines out in the Irish team. They will all have to be at their best to repel the foreign challenge. The Edge look to be the best Irish team and will back Laceys bid. Tino Haakman was runner up 2 years ago and leads one of Dutch teams in the race, while Dion Beukaboom who won the 1st stage last year and was 3rd overall returns also. Turkey will be at the race also with their National Under 23 team .
The Main Sponsors of the race are KERRY GROUP and their association with the event cannot be over stated as their name is synonymous with sport in Kerry & Ireland .
The stage end sponsors as already mentioned play a big part also as does David McQuaid and DMC Sports who provide the classification jerseys.
Cycling Ireland, the Irish Sports Council and Cycling Munster are also on board.
There is a cash Prize Fund of � 5,550 on offer over the 4 days and with a top class field assembled there will be great racing. Cycle racing has a great history in Kerry and there will be big crowds on the roads to cheer on the riders.
Full Route,Times, and list of riders are on the race website www.rasmumhan.com