One year ago Chris Newton came to the FBD Milk Rás with high expectations. The Great Britain rider had just won the prestigious Circuit Des Mines pro-am in France and was in the form of his life; backed by a strong team, the predictions were that he had a great chance of winning the Irish Tour. Instead, Newton struggled through the opening stage of the race with an infected foot and pulled out soon after, leaving his team-mate Paul Manning to take over at the helm and ultimately win the event.
Yesterday, 12 months on, the 28-year-old showed his true mettle with a dominant display on the opening stage of the race. Newton netted bonus seconds by winning two of three hot-spot sprints en route to Ballinamore and then forged clear of a 27 man breakaway inside the final 10 kilometres to take an authoritative solo victory.
Second on the 97 mile stage was Team Ireland-Stena Line rider Ciarán Power. The professional cyclist - who normally competes with the Navigators squad in the US - showed his finishing speed when he coolly outsprinted the rest of the break to cross the line 20 seconds behind Newton. Compatriots David O'Loughlin (Mayo Connacht Gold) and Ray Clarke (Meath Lee Strand Cycleways) finished in the same time, but all other Irish riders finished with the main bunch over seven minutes behind. One day into the race and already the yellow jersey aspirations of most have crumbled.
It was an unexpected result, following last year's tight, controlled race. Professional squads made their debut 12 months ago and the time gaps were then measured in seconds, rather than minutes. Yet when a group of six riders (Power included) raced clear 42 miles after the start in Dublin, the race splintered to pieces; driving rain and cruel crosswinds destroyed the chances of a co-ordinated chase and ensured that many big names finished a long way back. Previous winners Phil Cassidy (Meath Lee Strand Cycleways), Julian Winn (Wales) and Andy Roche (Isle of Man) are amongst those who find themselves over seven minutes adrift this morning.
Several riders did succeed in staying in touch, though. Counter-attacks saw two separate groups race clear and merge with those up front, eventually swelling the break to 27. Power, Clarke and O'Loughlin were here, as were Newton and his GB team-mates Tim Buckle and Steve Cummings. The ever-consistent Lancashire Compensation Group trio of Mark Lovatt, John Tanner and Kevin Dawson also made the split along with riders from the South Africa HSBC, Poland Legia and Canada Sympatic pro teams.
Newton's two bonus sprint wins ensured he had just to finish in this group to claim yellow but he was after the stage as well. An unsuccessful attack coming into Ballinamore was snuffled out but he tried again on the final 10 kilometre finishing loop and got a gap. Showing the time trial skills which won him the recent Tour de la Manche in France, he drew steadily clear on the tight, twisting run-in to the finish and soloed up the main street to an ear-splitting reception, 20 seconds ahead of Power and 25 other disappointed yellow jersey aspirants.
"It is great to win the stage," he said afterwards. "The FBD Milk Rás is a very difficult race to control and so I don't know how the overall result will go, but a win here today makes me very satisfied." Power was happy enough too. "I felt very good today," he said. "Unfortunately a few of the Irish team were sick and missed the move, so I was the only one there. I think I could have brought Newton back near the end but the others marked me out of it. It is a long week, though, and I feel good."
Today's stage: Ballinamore to Nenagh, 102 miles.
FBD Milk Rás stage one (in memory of Noel McGuill) Dublin - Ballinamore: 1, Chris Newton (Great Britain) 97 miles in 3 hours 36 mins 4 secs; 2, C. Power (Team Ireland Stena Line) at 20 secs; 3, N. Swithenbank (Lancashire MK Cycles Bianchi); 4, Lars Bojsen (Denmark Districkt Jylland Fyn); 5, J. Tanner (Lancaster Compensation Group); 6, H. Pritchard (Wales); 7, B . Brooks (NW England Cycle Centre); 8, A. Hojgaard (Denmark Distrikt Jylland Fyn); 9, I. McLeod (South Africa HSBC); 10, G. Dodd (Surrey League RT) all same time.
Hot Spot Sprints: Kells: 1, Newton 3 seconds; 2, Pritchard 2 secs; 3, Brooks 1 sec; Virginia: 1, Tanner 3 secs; 2, Buckle 2 secs; 3, Hojgaard 1 sec; Killeshandra: 1, Newton 3 secs; 2, Dodd 2 secs; 3, Tanner 1 sec.
Overall classification: 1, Newton 3 hours 35 mins 55 secs; 2, Tanner at 25 secs; 3, Power at 27 secs; 4, Pritchard; 5, Dodd; 6, T. Buckle (Great Britain) all same time; 7, Swithenbank at 28 secs; 8, Brooks; 9, Hojgaard both same time; 10, Bojsen at 29 secs. Points: 1, Newton, 15; 2, Power 14; 3, Swithenbank 13; 4, Bojsen 12; 5, Tanner 11; 6, Pritchard 10 Ben Mc Kenna Memorial trophy (best under 23 rider): 1, Bojsen 3 hours 36 mins 24 secs; 2, McLeod; 3, H. Nowak (Poland Legia) both same time.
