THE trend of leadership changes continued in the FBD Milk Ras yesterday at Tralee as Matthew Postle of Wales took over the yellow jersey from Dutchman Pelle Kil. Like previous leaders Kil found the burden too much and slipped to 12th.
Mark McKay, riding with the Stoke team, won another high speed stage of 105 miles from Lisdoonvarna but, going into today's 88-mile stage from Killarney to Killorglin, it is still very tight at the top as Postle leads by just six seconds from Andy Naylor of Stoke with Gethin Butler (England North East) and Ciaran Power of the Ireland team also on the same time.
There is then a gap to Manxman Andy Roche, who is riding for Kerry, at a minute and 14 seconds with Peter Daly (Ireland) at 1:21 and Dave Rand (Wales) at 1:51.
Postle is also leader of the points classification with Ireland now top team ahead of Wales.
In the sprint to the line on Castle Street, Tralee, McKay swept past Holland's Olympic mountain bike champion, Bart Brentjens, with Power third. Next were Bill Hart (Perth), Postle, Naylor and Butler with British champion Rand five seconds adrift.
Monday's stage winner into Lisdoonvarna, Polish champion Gregorz Gwiazdowski riding with the France team, was forced to abandon soon after the start yesterday. He had been unwell during the night and the race doctor Phil Brady said he was suffering with bronchitis.
After a series of attacks at the front of a breakaway group at Knochnagashel eight riders managed to get away and gained over a minute as they raced towards Tralee. As Brentjens led out the final sprint Rand dropped back and McKay and Power were involved in a tight scrimmage to get in behind the Dutchman. McKay got the better of the tussle and managed to get by Brentjens in the last few yards.
Late last night there was an official announcement that Brentjens has been eliminated from the Ras. Race director Dermot Dignam said: "I have decided not to allow Brentjens continue in the race as I found out he was committed to ride the Netherlands mountain bike championship on Sunday. His continued presence in the race over the next few days until his departure could have an effect on the outcome and it would be unfair on the other riders to let him continue."
