Richardson wins FBD Insurance Rás

Cycling: Britain’s Simon Richardson is the 2009 FBD Insurance Rás champion despite the Rapha Condor rider getting caught up …

Cycling:Britain's Simon Richardson is the 2009 FBD Insurance Rás champion despite the Rapha Condor rider getting caught up in a crash inside the final three kilometres.

Under UCI rules, all riders affected by the crash were given the same time as the stage winner on today’s eighth and final stage from Clara to Skerries,

Richardson still had a comfortable lead over runner-up Mads Christensen (Denmark Designa Kokken) as he started the day two minutes and 49 seconds clear of him and a further thirteen seconds up on Jan Barta (Austria Arbo KTM Junkers).

The Rapha Condor team controlled things and no breakaway group gained significant time during the 155-kilometre stage.

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The stage itself was won by quadruple Tour de France stage winner Jaan Kirsipuu (Norway Giant Veolia), who took his second stage victory after a big gallop to the line.

He beat Niko Eeckhout (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) and Ian Wilkinson (Britain Halfords Bike Hut) into second and third respectively. Russell Downing (Britain Candi TV Marshall's Pasta), Eeckhout's closest rival in the points classification, finished fourth meaning the former Belgian champion ended up winning that prize.

Team-mate David O'Loughlin crashed earlier but recovered and successfully retained the pink jersey of the King of the Mountains. The Mayo rider finished tenth overall, two places behind the best-placed Irish competitor David McCann.

The home riders had an aggressive showing on the stage, with both Brian Kenneally (Meath Engraveit.ie) and Mark Cassidy (Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) going on the attack in separate groups. While they were unable to stay clear, Kenneally had the consolation of winning the best county rider classification.

His Meath Engraveit.ie/BDBC squad were also best county team. Mark McNally (Britain Halfords Bike Hut) won best Under-23 competitor.