CYCLING:SHRUGGING OFF concerns that he may have taken the yellow jersey too early in the An Post Rás, Lithuanian rider Gedeminas Bagdonas underlined his strength when he grabbed his second stage victory of the race yesterday.
The An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Seán Kelly rider won a 36-man sprint into Castletownbere, beating Shane Archbold (New Zealand National Team) and Stuart Shaw (Drapac Professional) to the line.
Seán Downey was best Irishman in eighth, while Sam Bennett (12th), Tim Barry (15th), Ryan Sherlock (16th), Anthony Walsh (23rd) and Ronan McLaughlin (25th) were also present.
It was a superb showing, and followed on from his stage win into Kilrush on Monday.
“It was a nice race again. I like the rain; it’s my type of weather,” he said, smiling and settling into his role of race leader.
“Today I had good luck, I tried my hardest in the sprint and I won. We will see what happens tomorrow.”
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts underlined the importance of the race earlier this year, saying at the team launch that it was one of the top goals. With the team’s chief sponsor also the race backer, doing as well as possible is a priority.
Thus far, the team has taken two stage wins and one second place, and holds the yellow jersey of race leader plus the green jersey for points.
“Gedeminas asked (Sam) Bennett how he was feeling, but Bennett had a tough day and didn’t have it for the sprint,” said Bogaerts. “So he went for it himself and was strongest. It’s great.”
The stage began in Castleisland, Co Kerry, ran 142km and crossed five categorised climbs. An early break containing eight riders was clear for over 50km and included Irishmen Mark Cassidy (An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Seán Kelly) and Ireland Team Skoda’s Felix English.
After it was recaptured, a four-man move went clear at the start of the Ladies’ View climb outside Killarney and contained Stephen O’Sullivan (Meath Dectek), who is this year’s route designer.
This move split and was eventually overhauled by the start of the day’s first category climb, the gruelling Healy Pass. Salvador Guardiola (Greece KTM Murcia) went clear on the twisting, technical descent after the summit and opened a decent lead, but was caught and passed by an aggressive Bagdonas.
The race leader was hauled back and the second group containing Downey, Bennett and others got across.
Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix en Provence) and Anatoliy Pakhtusov (Ukraine ISD-Lampre) then surged clear inside the final five kilometres, driving hard towards the line, but were hauled back in time for the sprint.
Bagdonas was best there, defending his yellow jersey in fine style when he rocketed clear and punched the air for win number two.
Former race winner David McCann had started the day 12th but dropped to 17th and lost his chance of winning this year’s race. He crashed on the descent of the Healy Pass, had to change his bike, and lost five minutes 40 seconds.
McLaughlin, who replaced him as best Irishman in 12th, will hope to continue his progression on today’s lumpy, 156km to Blarney.
Stage Four Results
Castleisland – Castletownbere
1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 3 hours 42 mins 59 secs; 2, S. Archbold (New Zealand National Team); 3, S. Shaw (Australia Drapac); 4, E. Brenterch (France AVC Aix en Provence); 5, B. Burgel (Germany Thuringer Energie); 6, D. Windsor (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp); 7, A. Gate (New Zealand National Team); 8, S. Downey (Ireland Team Skoda); 9, S. Guardiola (Greece KTM Murica); 10, J. Rovira Pous (Greece KTM Murica) all same time.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 16 hours 39 mins 15 secs; 2, O. Sheydyk (Ukraine ISD-Lampre Continental) at 1 min 16 secs; 3, N. Mihaylov (France AVC Aix en Provence) same time; 4, P. Williams (Britain Motorpoint) at 1 min 27 secs; 5, A. Gate (New Zealand National Team) at 1 min 31 secs; 6, S. Richardson (Britain Sigma Specialized Team); 7, F.
Goesinnen (Australia Drapac Cycling) both same time; 8, S. Archbold (New Zealand National Team) at 2 mins 17 secs; 9, S. Shaw (Australia Drapac
Cycling) at 2 mins 21 secs; 10, A. Pakhtusov (Ukraine ISD-Lampre
Continental) same time.
UNDER-23: Aaron Gate (New Zealand National Team) 16 hours 40 mins 46 secs; 2, S. Archbold (New Zealand National Team) at 46 secs; 3, S. Downey (Ireland Team Skoda) at 2 mins 17 secs.
COUNTY RIDER: 1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin Eurocycles) 16 hours 48 mins 57 secs; 2, T. Barry (Carlow Dan Morrisey Better Bld) at 2 mins 37 secs; 3, A.
Walsh (Dublin UCD) same time.
INTERNATIONAL TEAM: 1, Britain Motorpoint, 50 hours 4 mins 25 secs; 2, Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly, at 48 secs; 3, Australia Drapac Cycling, at 9 mins 18 secs.
