Yesterday's stage of the FBD Milk Ras, a short 75 miles from Newport to Oughterard was always envisaged as the calm before the storm. The real rigours of this race were to start with today's severe 120-mile marathon to Listowel. Things didn't work out quite so benign, however, and it was fireworks all the way to the finish, where Welshman Julian Winn launched a ferocious sprint to take the stage.
Five seconds behind was Mark Lovatt, the Englishman who had persisted with his aggressive style of racing to retain a yellow jersey he insisted he had no expectations of keeping. But the story of the stage was the ferocious pace which those such as Winn, Lovatt, David McCann, Patrick Moriarty, Aidan Duff and John Tanner had applied, generating pressure which caused ruptures and ructions behind in the main bunch. Three days gone, six to go and yet many of the pre-race favourites find their aspirations destroyed at this early stage.
Covering narrow, winding picturesque country roads through Westport, alongside beautiful, mountain-shadowed lakes, via Leenane and to the finish in Oughterard should have provided opportunity for the foreign riders to appreciate the rugged beauty of the west of Ireland. Perish the thought. On the basis of yesterday's action the extent of this week's recollections will be the sight of the wheel immediately in front, viewed through squinting, pain-narrowed eyes as the visitor strains to maintain contact. Discover Ireland? Better start planning a return trip.
Instead it was action almost from the start, the fuse lit just nine miles into the stage when three riders sped clear and were shortly joined by 15 others. But merely a case of foot soldiers before the main charge; with many of the top contenders absent, this was but a precursor for what was the deciding move of the day at 24 miles. A glance at some of the names present confirmed that the group meant business; stage one winner Tjarco Cuppens (Belgium), top-placed Irish riders Paddy Moriarty and David O'Louglin, current national champion Tommy Evans, 1996 Olympian David McCann and British strongman Wayne Randle.
If any doubt remained as to the validity of the challenge, this was dispelled by the sight of a long, straining main bunch in single file, desperately struggling to remain in touch. At 32 miles the stakes increased when yellow jersey Mark Lovatt, its previous owner Julian Winn and in-form Irishman Aidan Duff clipped off the front of the peloton and bridged the gap. Behind, the bunch splintered under the pressure, a large chasing group containing riders such as second-placed Stephen O'Sullivan, Eugene Moriarty (fourth overall) and British national champion John Tanner.
Speeding into Oughterard, the aptly named Winn put in a ferocious effort in the last 200 metres to cross the line first and improve on his second place on stage one.
Behind in the general classification, the challenge of the International Cargo Services Ireland team was dealt a blow when fourth placed Eugene Moriarty lost two minutes and 14 seconds to slip to seventh overall. With last year's winner Philip Cassidy now almost 15 minutes in arrears, and the next best Ireland rider in 20th spot overall, the green jersey contingent will do their utmost for Moriarty on today's marathon leg to his home town of Listowel.
