Cycling:Britain's Simon Richardson regained the race lead from Ian Wilkinson after today's fourth stage of the FBD Rás from Cahirciveen to Killorglin.
Almost 12 months ago to the day Richardson took the yellow jersey and today the Rapha Condor rider was part of a group that got clear of Wilkinson on the first category climb of the Conor Pass, bridging up to two earlier breakaway moves before putting in a thundering finish.
The group crossed the line three minutes and 55 seconds ahead of Wilkinson, dropping the former race leader down to sixth overall and handing Richardson the yellow jersey.
Australian rider Nicolas Walker was quickest at the end of the gruelling 178-kilometre race. The 20-year-old Cinelli-Down Under rider finished ahead of Jan Barta (Austria Arbö KTM Junkers), Russell Downing (Britain Candi TV Marshalls), Jaco Venter (China Trek Marco Polo).
The Irish-registered An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team took fifth, courtesy of the Belgian Niko Eeckhout.
Sam Bennett, 18, (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) was best of the home riders in sixth place, with Paul Healion (Ireland National Team) ninth and David McCann (Ireland National Team) 10th.
Richardson started the day second overall, nineteen seconds behind Wilkinson. His Rapha Condor team had an excellent day, placing Tom Southam in a breakaway group that went clear in the very early stages before bridging up after Conor Pass and driving the break to the finish.
Richardson is now two minutes and 49 seconds ahead of Mads Christensen (Denmark Designa Kokken), and a further thirteen up on Barta. Wilkinson is now three minutes and 34 seconds back in sixth, while McCann is best of the Irish riders in eighth overall. He is six minutes and nine seconds back.
The Belfast rider had started the day in the King of the Mountains jersey but this passed onto David O’Loughlin, one of three Irishmen with the An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team.
He went clear in the early break, as did Eeckhout, Southam, Morten Kruse Brink (Denmark Designa Kokken), Mark McNally (Britain Halfords Bike Hut), Kit Gilham (Britain C'Shire Sigmasport) plus four other Irish riders - Paídi O'Brien (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly), Stephen Halpin (Ireland Development U23), Peter Hawkins (Dublin IRC Ushers Insulations) and Michael Fitzgerald (Dublin Eurocycles).
O’Loughlin was best overall in the break and although his group built-up a lead of five minutes and 50 seconds, he never overcame his overnight deficit of seven minutes and twelve seconds. However he did take maximum points on most of the day’s climbs and ended the stage in the pink jersey of best climber.
British rider Russell Downing remains in the green jersey of points leader, while McNally is wearing the white jersey of best under-23 competitor.
The race has reached the halfway point and continues tomorrow with a flatter 155-kilometre stage from Killorglin to Scariff.
FBD Rás (2.2), stage 4: Cahirciveen – Killorglin:
1, Nicholas Walker (Australia Cinelli-Down Under), 178km in 4 hours 20 mins 55 secs
2, Jan Barta (Austria Arbö KTM Junkers)
3, Russell Downing (Britain Candi TV Marshalls)
4, Jaco Venter (China Trek Marco Polo)
5, Niko Eeckhout (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
6, Sam Bennett (Tipperary Dan Morrissey)
7, Benny Deschrooder (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
8, Alexander Gottfried (Germany Kuota-Indeland)
9, Paul Healion (Ireland National Team)
10, David McCann (Ireland National Team), all same time
General classification:
1, Simon Richardson (Britain Rapha Condor), 16 hours 54 mins 44 secs
2, Mads Christensen (Denmark Designa Kokken), at 2 mins 49 secs
3, Jan Barta (Austria Arbö KTM Junkers), at 3 mins 2 secs
4, Darren Lapthorne (Britain Rapha Condor), at 3 mins 24 secs
5, Bert Roesems (Australia Cinelli-Down Under), same time
6, Ian Wilkinson (Britain Halfords Bike Hut), at 3 mins 34 secs
7, Chris Newton (Britain Rapha Condor), at 5 mins 29 secs
8, David McCann (Ireland National Team), at 6 mins 9 secs
9, Russ Downing (Britain Candi TV Marshalls), at 6 mins 12 secs
10, Alexander Gottfried (Germany Kuota-Indeland), at 6 mins 43 secs